ABSTRACT
Toxicity of the pesticide chemical is important to human health in terms of the level of exposure; thus, acute toxicity is "how poisonous" one pesticide is, compared to another. Pesticides can also be taken in through the skin. Wearing clothing that is wet with pesticides, allowing pesticides to fall directly on the skin while mixing or spraying can be dangerous. Dry material dusts, wettable powders, or granules can also be absorbed. The dermal and inhalation routes of entry are likely to be more important to the pesticide applicator than oral route. Chronic toxicity is "how poisonous" pesticide is to an animal after small, repeated doses over period of time. Chronic toxicity is very important because some pesticides can remain in the body for a long time. The behavior of the chloropenoxy herbicides in nonmammalian aquatic animals is quite different than the behavior described for terrestrial mammals and birds. The use of herbicides has been proven productive means of controlling plants.
