Abstract
During the last three decades, the use of modern organic synthetic pesticides has increased about 40-fold. Total U.S. production, for domestic and expert use, in 1976 was about 1.4 million pounds. Crops receiving the most intensive application of various pesticides were cotton for insecticides, corn for herbicides, and fruits and vegetables for fungicides. Examination of use trends of pesticides indicates that the volume in pounds of herbicides used on crops is increasing, whereas the quantities of insecticides and fungicides remain stable. New chemical classes of compounds such as the synthetic pyrethroid insecticides are being introduced, but are not yet significant in terms of their share of the market. The increased usage of pesticides, together with knowledge of some of their adverse effects, has alerted the public to the need for regulation. To assist in the regulatory decision-making process, emphasis is being placed on benefit-cost analyses. Additional and improved biological inputs and methodologies are needed to provide accurate analyses.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bridges B. A. The mutagenicity of captan and related fungicides. Mutat Res. 1975;32(1):3–34. doi: 10.1016/0165-1110(75)90009-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cornfield J. Carcinogenic risk assessment. Science. 1977 Nov 18;198(4318):693–699. doi: 10.1126/science.910152. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Innes J. R., Ulland B. M., Valerio M. G., Petrucelli L., Fishbein L., Hart E. R., Pallotta A. J., Bates R. R., Falk H. L., Gart J. J. Bioassay of pesticides and industrial chemicals for tumorigenicity in mice: a preliminary note. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1969 Jun;42(6):1101–1114. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Maugh T. H., 2nd Chemicals: how many are there? Science. 1978 Jan 13;199(4325):162–162. doi: 10.1126/science.199.4325.162. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Plewa M. J., Gentile J. M. Mutagenicity of atrazine: a maize-microbe bioassay. Mutat Res. 1976 Aug;38(4):287–292. doi: 10.1016/0165-1161(76)90152-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Seiler J. P. Toxicology and genetic effects of benzimidazole compounds. Mutat Res. 1975;32(2):151–168. doi: 10.1016/0165-1110(75)90004-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wild D. Mutagenicity studies on organophosphorus insecticides. Mutat Res. 1975;32(2):133–150. doi: 10.1016/0165-1110(75)90003-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]