Toxicological and Protective Aspects

In this chapter, carcinogenic products will be considered first, followed by mutagenic ones, which constitute the main focus. Smaller sections then deal with geno-toxic products, allergenicity, other toxicological aspects, and protective effects. 

Various aspects of selenium have been reviewed, including its toxicology and selenium deficiency (5-7) and its protective effects against cancer (8). 

An attempt has been made to give an overview of all chemical aspects of plant protection, with the exception of analytical chemistry. We are fully aware that the designation chemistry of pesticides does not cover an unequivocally defined, uniform branch of science, because the fundamental sciences on which it is built, particularly organic chemistry and biochemistry, have maintained their independence and their original scope also within the frame of this special field. The chemistry of pesticides integrates these fundamental sciences only functionally, and not with respect to their methods. Our book attempts to achieve this functional unity. In the discussion of individual compounds and types of compound our aim has been to cover preparative and organic chemical and biochemical aspects, metabolism, activity-structure relationships, fields of application, and environmental and toxicological problems. 

Ecological and toxicological aspects of silver are reviewed by Smith and Carson (1977), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA] (1980, 1987), Lockhart (1983), the U.S. Public Health Service [USPHS] (1990), Andren et al. (1993, 1994), Andren and Bober (1995), Eisler (1996), Mukheqee (1997), and Ratte (1999). 

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