What are pesticides?
any physical chemical or biological agent that will kill an undesirable plant or animal plant
- goal is to selectively kill pest with little to no toxicity to non target species
- biological processes are highly conserved across species which makes it difficult to target a single organism with no effects on other ones
How are human exposed to pesticides?
5 major types of insecticides and their basic action
Organochlorine compounds - disrupt ion channel functions at nerve cells
Pyrethoids - same
Organophosphates - inhibits acetylcholine esterase
Carbamates - same
Neonicotinoids - nAcH receptor agonist
Are organic foods pesticide free?
In theory yes, but trace levels of pesticide are found on 70% of organic foods
4 types of organochlorine compounds?
Chemistry and kinetics of organochlorine insecticides?
Chemistry and kinetics of pyrethoid insecticides
Two pyrethroid synergists?
Piperonyl butoxide and sesamex
- non toxic themselves
inhibits detoxifying enxymes so they cant break down pyrethroids (CYP)
Classes of pyrethoid insecticides
Pyrethrum - Pyrethrin 1
- 4 different plant compounds
- unstable in sunlight and requires syynergist
!st and 2nd generation - Allethrin
- improved stability and efficacy
- still requires synergist
- household uses
3rd and 4th generation - Permethrin
- photostable, no synergist required
- agricultural uses
Chronic effecs of organochlorine insecticides - specificially DDE
4 common organophosphates
orthophosphoric acid
methyl parathion
diazinon
chlorpyrifos
4 common carbamates
carbamic acid
carabryl
primicarb
carbofuran
Chemistry and kinetics of organophosphates and carbamate insecticides
How do organophospates and carbamates impact the body?
they both act as acetylcholine mimics and bind to the cholinesterase enzyme
- organophosphates bind irreversibly and carbamates bind reversibly
-acetylcholinesterase is responsible for breaking down acetylcholine - meaning it will build up in the body causing twitching, overstimulation of the heart, paralysis among others
Organophosphate acute and chronic toxicity
Acute - number one responsible for acute insecticide toxicities in humans in Canada
Chronic - lethargy, amnesia, depression, neurological disorders dimentia, autism etc)
Case study of carbofuran
Name 4 neonics
nicotine, imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam
How do neonics work?
they act as nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists, meaning they wll bind to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
- effectively causes permanent binding to receptors which causes permanent overstimulation and destruction
What is the current regulation of neonicotinoid usage?
in 2018 EU banned 3 neonics
- were to be phased out by health canadas pest management regulatory agency (PMRA)
- in 2018 PMRA recommended that the 3 neonics should be phased out over 3-5 years
- in 2021 health canada changed its decision and deemed them acceptible with mitigation
Health consequences of air pollution in Canada?
15000 premature deaths / year
- significant economic costs due to hospitalization
4 major types of air pollutants
Gaseous
- inorganic SO2, NOx
- VOCs
Particulates
- particles 0.01-100um
- other gases will adsorb to particles
Droplets
- small liquid droplets will remain suspended in air
- other gases may dissolve in droplets
Smog
- combination of smoke and fog
- gases and particulates
What are primary and secondary air pollutants?
Primary - harmful chemicals that enter directly into the atmosphere
Secondary - harmful chemicals that result from interactions of primary pollutants or with other compounds in the atmosphere
What is sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Primary air pollutant
- anthropogenic source - combuestion of fossil fuels / smelting ores
Toxicity - plants - affects photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration
humans - chronic lung diseases
- cause of smog