The mode of action of pesticides is extremely fascinating because the subject covers so many fields of biology and chemistry and has many practical implications. To understand how pesticides work (their mode of action), it is necessary to understand how the pests’ targeted systems normally function. It is also helpful to understand how human systems function in order to see similarities and dif...

A new test procedure to determine the pesticide morestan based on solid phase room temperature phosphorescence using a disposable optical sensor is proposed. The device consists of a disposable polyester sheet (5 cm × 1 cm) with a circular micro zone (6 mm in diameter and 25 m in thickness), formed by polyvinylchloride and tributylphosphate as a plasticizer, on its surface. When the sensor was ...

Haeckeliania sperata Pinto is an egg-endoparasitoid of Diaprepes abbreviatus L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). We evaluated the relative susceptibility of H. sperata adults to commercially relevant pesticides used in citrus and ornamental production systems. Parasitoids were exposed to pesticide residues on leaf surfaces. Four concentrations of seven pesticides were tested; concentrations for eac...

Pesticides have been worldwide used for the protection of food crops against pests and diseases. It is common that residues of these pesticides occur in food products, especially agricultural commodities. Adverse effects on human health of pesticides residues remaining in food after they are applied to food crops are generally known. Possible health risk due to pesticide residues in the diet ha...

The Department of Pesticide Regulation Environmental Monitoring Branch has successfully used ELISA for analyses of pesticides in soil and water samples for over a decade using both in-house assays (Goh 1992a, 1992b, 1993, 1996) and commercially available kits (Goh 1990, 1991). We recently evaluated a commercial diazinon kit for its sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy and precision, etc. for surf...

In rural China, pesticide retailers are often accused of recommending farmers apply more pesticides than the scientifically recommended rate, while playing an important role in providing technical information regarding use to farmers. However, there is little empirical evidence on relationship between retailers’ recommendations and farmers’ overuse. Using survey data from 1084 rice four provinc...

The literature of pesticide residue analysis is reviewed selectively for the period 1999-2000. Analyses of a wide range of pesticide classes and sample types, as well as some related organic pollutants, are covered. Studies of exposure and monitoring as well as pesticide degradation, persistance, leaching, mobility, and metabolism studies are included.

Pesticide Action Network, United Farmworkers of America, and California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation analyzed California government data on agricultural poisonings and enforcement of worker safety standards. Nearly 500 pesticide poisonings were reported for California farmworkers every year from 1997 to 2000. The actual number of pesticide-related illnesses is unknown, since many poisoning...