Systemic pesticides organophosphorus compounds

Organophosphorus pesticides became known and indispensable in agricultural use primarily because of their insecticidal action. More recently several groups of organophosphorus compounds with fungicidal action have en discovered as contact and systemic fungicides (see Section 5.2.4). 

Macroreticular resins, particularly the Amberlite XAD series, have been used extensively to isolate and concentrate trace organic compounds from drinking water (1-8). We have previously reported the use of an XAD cartridge for this purpose and have evaluated the system for the analysis of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) (4), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (5), phosphate triesters (TAAPs) (6), or-... 

The complexity of the immune system renders it readily attacked by many chemicals. Such attack may result, for example, in organ damage in the thymus, bone, and lymph nodes as well as in cellular pathology in immunocompetent cells. More than 350 different compounds have been identified as immunotoxinsJ5 6 Table 25.1 contains a representative list of these. This list includes heavy metals, chlorinated and organophosphorus pesticides, aromatic hydrocarbons, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, organic solvents, and many widely used chemicals. Many lipophilic and hydrophilic chemicals are immunotoxins and the immunotoxicity of these compounds is manifest via multiple mechanisms. 

The compound possesses a pronounced antidotic action in acute poisoning with organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides of different chemical structures it restores function of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. 

The active site of organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) contains two metal atoms (zinc in the wild-type enzyme) and catalyzes hydrolysis of numerous organophos-phate compounds including pesticides as well as chemical warfare agents such as sarin and soman. Rates of OPH catalyzed hydrolysis of organophosphates exceed those of chemical hydrolysis by NaOH at 4°C by factors of 40 to 2450 [41-43]. The enzyme has been described for use in sensor systems with exceptional detection limits reported for response times on the order of 10 seconds [44-48]. However, the presence of OP/CWA is detected by the inhibition of enzymatic rate determined by comparing rate measnrements in the presence and absence of the analyte. 

Acetylcholinesterase is by far the most widely used enzyme in the preparation of biosensors for determining pesticides, both because organophosphorus insecticides and carbamates represent over half of the entire insecticide market and because the acetylcholinesterase commercially available has a high degree of purity and specificity of action and may be paired with many transducers (potentiometric, amperometric) in both flow and nonflow systems [62]. The specific tendency of organophosphorus pesticides and carbamates to inhibit acetylcholinesterase has been exploited for the purpose of determining these compounds, which are first separated by means of HPLC, then detected through a post-column reaction with immobilized acetylcholinesterase [63]. 

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