Mammalian Toxicology Of Insecticides

Insects are more similar in structure and physiology to mammals than plants or fungi. Consequently, insecticides are often of greater toxicity to mammals than herbicides. This is particularly the case with neurotoxins. However, some insecticides are targeted at structures or hormonal systems specific to insects (insect growth regulators/chitin synthesis inhibitors) so are less harmful but can still be mildly haematotoxic. There are, therefore, issues specific to insecticides, which do not occur with other pesticides - hence the need for a book specifically on insecticide toxicology in mammals. The book starts with general issues relating to the mammalian toxicity of insecticides, including target/non-target specificity, nomenclature and metabolism of insecticides. It then goes on to discuss specific types of insecticides including: organochlorines; anticholinesterases; pyrethrum and synthetic pyrethroids; nicotine and the neonicotinoids; insect growth regulators/ecdysone agonists/chitin synthesis inhibitors; insecticides of natural origin; biological insecticides; and insecticides used in veterinary medicine.

The most rewarding aspect of writing a book is receiving encouraging comments from one's colleagues, since one always wonders whether fair coverage was made of the work of others or whether some omissions were made. I feel very fortunate that many colleagues took the time to read the first edition of this book and chose to use it as a textbook in their teaching. During the past few years they have given me valuable suggestions by pointing out areas that needed to be added to improve the book. Toxicology is one of the fastest moving scientific fields. In the areas of insecticide toxicology many new advances have been made since this treatise first appeared. Therefore, it would not be easy to write even a review paper that would not be outdated by the time it was published. In revising this volume I have made a conscious effort to adhere to the basic principles which have been developed over the years. While I have retained the basic framework of the original book, advances that fundamentally change certain concepts or add a new horizon have been chosen for updating those fields where applicable. The main emphasis has been placed on the addition of new sections and new compounds developed since 1975. Since the first edition appeared, several books covering technical details in each group have been published. They are excellent encyclopedic resources in their chosen areas, and are listed in each section as recommended reading material.

Why are books written? Since I have read many works by my colleagues with admiration, this question has always intrigued me. Further, writing a book takes a good deal of time and effort, and I had imagined that I would never undertake such a demanding task. A few unexpected events and circumstances have changed my mind. The first was the pleasant experience of editing Environmental Toxicology of Pesticides with Drs. Mallory Boush and Tomomasa Misato. This fine symposium volume occasioned many interesting responses, including a suggestion to prepare a more complete treatise on the grounds that such "proceedings" volumes, by their very nature, do not satisfactorily offer a complete and coherent description of the field, but cater chiefly to specialists. I myself prefer single-authored books for basic understanding of a scientific field. The second circumstance leading to the present volume was the avail ability of teaching notes from my course on the toxicology of insecticides. As the need to cultivate environmental awareness has increased, there has been a parallel increase in the enrolments of such courses both here and in other major institutions. Yet no comprehensive and up-to-date text has been available. The third factor which facilitated the effort was an especially pleasant sabbatical in Hawaii, where the availability of the excellent Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaii considerably eased my task.

Mammalian Toxicology surveys chemical agents and examines how such chemicals impact on human health, emphasizing the importance in minimizing environmental exposure to chemical and physical hazards in our homes, communities and workplaces through such media as contaminated water, soil and air. Starting with the basic principles on a wide range of toxic agents, this textbook describes how they enter the body, their mechanisms of action once inside, and strategies for diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Topics covered include: General principles of toxicology: pharmacological and toxicological principles underpinning the study of toxicology, risk assessments and mechanisms of cell death Disposition: routes of chemical exposures, entry into the body and various tissues, storage, metabolic biotransformation and elimination, with examples from various toxicants. Toxic agents: the occurrences, disposition in the body, health effects, toxic mechanisms, antidotes and treatments of a range of agents including pesticides, metals, solvents, gases, nanomaterials, food components and additives, pharmaceuticals, drugs of abuse, natural toxins, endocrine disruptors, radiation, and warfare weapons. Toxic effects: including neurotoxicity, developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, teratogenecity, male and female reproductive toxicity, mutagenecity, carcinogenicity, pulmonary toxicity, cardiovascular toxicity, hepatotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity and cardiovascular toxicity Toxicology and society: epidemiological studies of chemical-induced diseases in human populations, and a vision for toxicology in the 21st century. Mammalian Toxicology is an essential primer for students of toxicology, biochemistry, biology, medicine and chemistry. It is also appropriate for professional toxicologists in research or regulatory affairs, and anyone who needs to understand the adverse effects of toxic agents on the human body.

Environmental-friendliness, issues of public health, and the pros and cons of genetically-modified crops all receive regular coverage in the world's media. This, in turn, has led to increased questioning and investigation of chemical pesticides. Stenersen's concise and timely introduction to chemical pesticides describes these compounds according to their mode of action at the cellular and biochemical level. Chemical Pesticides provides answers to questions such as why pesticides are toxic to the target organism and why pesticides are toxic to some organisms and not others. It describes how various poisons interfere with biochemical processes in organisms. The book also explores how resistance to pesticides develops, how resistance can be used to illustrate the theory of evolution, and how it can be used to produce herbicide-resistant crop plants. Legal matters and potential environmental problems are also discussed. By providing an integrated, yet simple description of modern chemical pesticides, the author provides a relevant text for professionals and students in biological disciplines such as biochemistry, medicine, agriculture, and veterinary science.

This detailed volume explores practical procedures on the identification and quantification of pesticides in a variety of samples. Chapters guide the reader through methods and protocols for the extraction of pesticides from biological and non-biological samples, pitfalls in dosing techniques and structures identification, and also provide an overview of the problems that these pesticides cause in human populations. As part of the Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of reagents and materials, step-by-step guides and reproducible lab protocols, as well as valuable tips on addressing common problems and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Pesticide Toxicology is an ideal reference for academia, analysts, toxicologists, environmentalists, and health and industry professionals aiming to understand the associated risks and to limit the use of these substances and minimize their potential damage to human health and the environment.