ABSTRACT
A pest, broadly defined, is any organism-plant, animal, or microorganism-that is destructive or troublesome, or living where it is unwanted. Pesticides refer to any chemicals intended to prevent, deter, destroy, or otherwise impair the ability of pests to compete with desired organisms, such as crops, animals, or humans. Pesticides can be classified in different ways, such as by their target, chemical nature, physical state, and mode of action. Classification based on the target is perhaps the most widely known: insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and rodenticides (Table 13.1). This chapter considers the chemistry, characteristics, and health effects of several representative groups of pesticides and herbicides. It then discusses several halogenated hydrocarbons that have become of much concern in recent years, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins.
