ABSTRACT
Pesticides from the group of benzimidazole are systemic fungicides. They have very low toxicity and good effectiveness in agriculture. Their stability in the environment and their long-term effect, such as mutagenicity and teratogenicity, produced by some of them in animals, impose some conditions and limitations in their use. Benzimidazole pesticides are systemic protective and eradicative fungicides; they are used as wettable powders and as a liquid formulation for microvolume air application. Methyl-2 benzimidazole carbamate is the principal metabolite of benomyl and thiophanate methyl in the environment. The main urine metabolite in animals for benomyl is methyl-N(5-oxibenzimidazole-2)carbamate, and for thiophanate—methyl-sulfate and glucoronide of 5-oxythiobendazole. Acute toxicity of benzimidazole fungicides is very low. Humans are exposed to benzimidazole derivatives via food. The available information on human effects is related to the local and allergic reactions produced by benzimidazole compounds.
