Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 5.1
Major Groups of Pesticides
Chemical Pesticides
Biopesticides
1. Organophosphate pesticides (e.g., parathion,
malathion)
2. Carbamate pesticides (e.g., aldicarb, carbofuran
(Furadan), fenoxycarb, carbaryl (Sevin),
ethienocarb, and fenobucarb)
3. Organochlorine insecticides (e.g., DDT, dicofol,
heptachlor, endosulfan, chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin,
endrin, mirex, and pentachlorophenol)
4. Pyrethroid pesticides (e.g., permethrin)
1. Microbial pesticides (e.g., subspecies and strains of
Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt.
2. Plant-incorporated-protectants (PIPs) (e.g.,
introduction of the gene for the Bt. pesticidal
protein into the plant's own genetic material. The
plant, instead of the Bt. bacterium, manufactures
the substance that destroys the pest)
3. Biochemical pesticides (include substances, such as
insect sex pheromones, that interfere with mating,
as well as various scented plant extracts that attract
insect pests to traps)
certain parts of the developing world. Use of pesticides in certain parts of the developing
world is poorly regulated and often dangerous; their easy availability also makes them
a popular method of self-harm (Eddleston et al. 2002).
Bioremediation is defined as an accelerated process using microorganisms (indigenous
or introduced) and other manipulations to degrade and detoxify organic substances to
harmless compounds (such as carbon dioxide and water) in a confined and controlled envi-
ronment (EPA 2005). Bioremediation is suitable for the treatment of a variety of organic
chemicals, including volatile organic compounds, benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene
(together known as BTEX), phenolic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
other petroleum hydrocarbons, and nitroaromatic compounds. Numerous studies have
been conducted for bioremediation purposes. However, despite extensive studies, microbial
remediation system of pesticides is less understood. Microbes that have been very recently
used for the remediation of pesticides are discussed briefly in this chapter. Readers of this
chapter interested in microbial remediation of pesticides will have a glimpse of very recent
ideas on the microbes that have been used for bioremediation.
TABLE 5.2
Worldwide Estimated Use of Pesticides in 2000 (Amount of Active
Ingredient at User Level)
Pesticide Type
Millions of Pounds
Percentage
Herbicides (including plant growth
regulators)
1944
36
Insecticides
1355
25
Fungicides
516
10
Others (including nematicides, fumigants,
rodenticides, molluscicides, aquatic and
fish/bird pesticides, other miscellaneous
conventional pesticides, and other
chemicals used as pesticides, e.g., sulfur
and petroleum oil)
1536
29
Total
5351
100
 
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