ABSTRACT
Most organophosphorus compounds are used as insecticides, few are used as fungicides, nematocides or plant regulators. One organophosphorus pesticide is a widely used herbicide. Pesticides are used in agriculture and public health to control insects, weeds, animals and vectors of disease. Information on global production and use of pesticides is scarce, while sales data are more readily available. Pesticide sales doubled between 1972 and 1985, and it has been estimated that world production of formulated pesticides increased from about 400,000 tonnes in 1955 to over 3 million tonnes in 1985. In most countries, pesticides are classified according to their acute mammalian toxicity as suggested by World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO estimates an annual incidence of unintentional acute poisoning of about one million, with an overall mortality rate of about 1%. Application of pesticides against individual pests implies the use of various equipment and work practices and, therefore, different kinds of exposure.
