Lecture 11 Flashcards
Define Pesticide
substance used for destroying insects or other organisms harmful to cultivated plants or to anima
The other definition
“Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.”
A “pest” is “(1) any insect, rodent, nematode, fungus, weed,
(2) any other form of terrestrial/ aquatic plant or animal life or virus, bacteria, or other micro-organism (except viruses, bacteria, or other micro-organisms on or in living man or other animals)
What are the other categories?
herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, nematicides, rodenticides
What is not a pesticide?
-substances to control bacteria, viruses, or fungi in or on living man or animal (anti-microbials, anti-virals, anti-fungals)
products to control internal invertebrates in living man or animals (parasites)
products intended only to aid the growth of desirable plants, deodorizers, bleaches, and cleaning agents
products that operate to exclude pests by a physical barrier
pesticides that are regulated by other federal agencies (certain biological control agents and certain human or animal drugs)
Pheromones, natural cedar, lavender oil (and some other oils)
Define Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
- Active ingredients and finished products
Considers occupational, human, and environmental safety
The process end result is called a “registration”
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)
Allows FDA to set “tolerances” for acceptable residue levels of pesticides in food for human consumption
It also allows FDA to regulate pesticide-active ingredients that are used in products applied to farm animals (veterinary drug products such as flea and tick products)
What does the pesticide registration process involve?
EPA scientists evaluate
ingredients of the pesticide (active and inactive)
particular site or crop where the product is to be used
amount, frequency and timing of use
storage and disposal practices
Registration is a scientific, legal, and administrative procedure
Risk Assignment
Core principle of pesticide registration involves risk assessment
RISK = HAZARD X EXPOSURE
Risk assessments evaluate the potential for harm to humans, wildlife, fish, and plants, including endangered species and non-target organisms
How does Toxicology support Pesticide Reg.
EPA specifies the types of toxicology testing that must be done to support registration
Toxicology data must be provided to address risks posed to:
-Workers that may apply the pesticides
-General population exposures (diet, water, spray drift)
-Special populations (potential susceptibility of developing fetus, infants and children)
-Non-target plant and wildlife
-Environmental residues
What type of toxicology tests are performed?
Toxicity tests must address the potential toxicity of both the active ingredient and the formulated product to humans (workers and general population)
Types of Tests:
Primary eye and dermal irritation and skin sensitization
Acute oral, dermal and inhalation toxicity
Short-term oral, dermal and inhalation toxicity
Genotoxicity potential
Reproductive and developmental toxicity (usually only oral studies performed)
Acute delayed neurotoxicity
Endocrine disruption potential (both male and female)
Chronic toxicity/ carcinogenicity (usually only oral studies performed)
What must occur in tests and what are they tested on?
Must also consider persistence of the pesticide in the environment
Tests performed to determine potential toxic effects on birds, mammals, fish, terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, and plants
-Include acute and repeated dose toxicity
-Effects on reproduction
-Simulated field testing and actual field testing
What are tolerance levels?
Tolerances typically are set based on results of registration toxicology testing data that are then applied as part of a dietary risk assessment process
found in farming, FDA has testing modeling to know how much can be used
Define Dirty Dozen vs Clean 15
Some non-governmental groups (NGOs) are focused on minimizing human exposure to pesticides in foods
Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an example
Pesticide Paper figure 1
look at slide 14
