Agricultural pesticides, formulations

The Exxsol solvents are useful in numerous home, garden, lawn, and agricultural pesticide formulations because of their very low phytotoxicity. The low surface tension of the Exxsols facilitates the spreading of the pesticide rapidly across a surface. Agrichemical professionals at Exxon Chemical are available to assist pesticide formulators in selecting the proper solvent. 

Their major use includes the production of latexes, adhesives, personal care and cleaning products, dispersion and microdispersions of chemicals, and agricultural pesticide formulations. These dispersions, in general, have a viscosity less than 150 Pa s (150 000 cP). When the viscosity of the flnids or dispersion is much greater than this, extruders are employed instead of rotor-stator mixers. 

In areas of agricultural methyl parathion usage, both outdoor and indoor air levels of methyl parathion of approximately 12 ng/m have been measured, and household dust was found to contain 21 ppb of methyl parathion. Outdoor and indoor air concentrations of methyl parathion as high as 0.71 and 9.4 pg/m, respectively, have been measured at the homes of individuals employed as pesticide formulators. 

Agricultural (Ag) formulations that are commonly diluted and applied by means of spray equipment include water soluble liquids, emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, and flowable suspensions. The choice of which formulation to develop normally depends upon the solubility properties of the technical pesticide. Scientists often must also consider manufacturing costs, field efficacy and product toxicity. 

Isophorone is a solvent for a large number of natural and synthetic polymers, resins, waxes, fats, and oils. Specifically, it is used as a solvent for concentrated vinyl chloride/acetate-based coating systems for metal cans, other metal paints, nitrocellulose finishes, printing inks for plastics, some herbicide and pesticide formulations, and adhesives for plastics, poly(vinyl) chloride and polystyrene materials (Papa and Sherman 1981). Isophorone also is an intermediate in the synthesis of 3, 5-xylenol, 3, 3, 5-trimethylcyclohexanol (Papa and Sherman 1981), and plant growth retardants (Haruta et al. 1974). Of the total production, 45-65% is used in vinyl coatings and inks, 15-25% in agricultural formulations, 15-30% in miscellaneous uses and exports, and 10% as a chemical intermediate (CMA 1981). 

It is hoped that this brief description concerning our use of computers for developing pesticide formulations, at the Agricultural Division of Mobay Chemical Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri, will help stimulate discussion on this subject. 

The handling properties of the formulation in the field. Examples of handling properties are the amount of dust in the product (in the case of dry formulations), the manner in which the product dilutes with water (or other carrier liquid), the way in which the product sprays through an agricultural spraying system, and the manner in which the product will tank mix with other pesticide formulations. This paper is addressed to this last concern. 

The range of pesticide formulations routinely used in agricultural situations complicates the selection of appropriate PPE. Pesticide form, toxicity, concentration, and additives and inert ingredients are primary considerations in planning clothing strategies. 

Another variation among formulations of agricultural pesticides is the plethora of additives and "inert" ingredients added to the active ingredients to create each formulation. These ingredients may contribute to the exposure risk... 

Extensive monitoring, carried out to determine haloge-nated VOCs in surface water from Portugal, revealed the presence of chloroform, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, and carbon tetrachloride in 13-50% of the samples analyzed, with a median of 0.1-0.3 pg/L, except for punctual contaminated areas close to big cities where these compounds were detected up to 18 pg/L. Also, high concentrations were found in agricultural areas, where solvents are used in many pesticide formulations. In another study, in which 41 compounds of different families were studied, 37 were detected at least once at levels between 0.01 and 28 pg/L, same with that which... 

The chemical is banned. Banned for import, production, having in possession and use as agricultural pesticide. All formulations and uses were prohibited by the final regulatory action. Very high acute toxicity, extremely hazardous and risk to workers in formulation plant and during application by spraying. 

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