The key difference between organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides is that organophosphate pesticide compounds are used in agricultural pest control, whereas organochlorine pesticides are used for vector control or disease dissemination.
Pesticides or agrochemicals are useful in agriculture because these compounds have an effect on countless living organisms that can be harmful to crops. Although organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides are useful pest control agents, these compounds show high toxicity to the environment and to life forms. Organophosphate pesticides are pest-controlling agents composed of organophosphate compounds, while organochlorine pesticides are pest-controlling agents that have not been in use since the 1970s.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Organophosphate Pesticides
3. What are Organochlorine Pesticides
4. Organophosphate vs Organochlorine Pesticides in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Organophosphate vs Organochlorine Pesticides
What are Organophosphate Pesticides?
Organophosphate pesticides are pest-controlling agents composed of organophosphate compounds. These compounds are harmful to the environment and to life forms, but it is still in use for agricultural purposes. The common members of this group include malathion, parathion, diazinon, fenthion, dichlorvos, chlorpyrifos, etc.
The therapeutic protocol in the process of intoxication of organophosphate pesticides contains the administration of drugs with antagonistic activity to the substances, including atropine and oximes, activated charcoal, anticonvulsant drugs, etc.
These are mainly insecticides and one type of pesticide that can work by damaging an enzyme in the body named acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme is very important for the control of nerve signals in the body. The damage to this enzyme can kill pests, and it can cause unwanted side effects upon exposure to humans.
What are Organochlorine Pesticides?
Organochlorine pesticides are pest-controlling agents that have not been in use since 1970. These substances have been banned since 1970 due to considerations regarding the environment. These are chlorinated hydrocarbons that were used extensively from 1940 to 1970 in agriculture and mosquito control. The members of this group of chemical compounds include DDT, methoxychlor, dieldrin, toxaphene, mirex, kepone, lindane, and benzene hexachloride.
There is no definitive treatment for organochlorine toxicity, but there are protocols used for organophosphate intoxication. People might get exposed to these chemicals through inhalation accidentally, ingestion of fish, dairy products, and other fatty food items with contaminations. Further, organochlorine pesticides work by opening sodium ion channels in the neurons or nerve cells of insects, which can cause them to fire spontaneously and eventually die.
What is the Difference Between Organophosphate and Organochlorine Pesticides?
Organophosphate and organochlorine compounds show high toxicity to the environment and to life forms. The key difference between organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides is that organophosphate pesticide compounds are used in agricultural pest control, whereas organochlorine pesticides are used for vector control or disease dissemination. Moreover, there is no definitive treatment for organochlorine toxicity, but there are protocols used for organophosphate intoxication.
Moreover, organophosphate pesticides work by damaging an enzyme in the body named acetylcholinesterase, while organochlorine pesticide works by opening sodium ion channels in the neurons or nerve cells of insects which can cause them to fire spontaneously and eventually die.
The following table summarizes the difference between organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides.
Summary – Organophosphate vs Organochlorine Pesticides
Organophosphate pesticides are pest-controlling agents composed of organophosphate compounds, while organochlorine pesticides are pest-controlling agents that have not been in use since 1970. The key difference between organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides is that organophosphate pesticide compounds are used in agricultural pest control, whereas organochlorine pesticides are used for vector control or disease dissemination.
Reference:
1. Silva, Leonardo Linhares Miler da, and Rodrigo Grazinoli Garrido. “Organofosforados e Organoclorados: Toxicologia Médica E Reflexos Ambientais.” Research, Society and Development.
2 “Organochlorine Pesticides.” Delaware.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Tractor Fertilize Field Pesticide And Insecticide” By Aqua Mechanical – (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Photo of grass, field, lawn, wind, green, agriculture, avignon, paddy field, hiv, pesticide, in rice field, grass family, herbicide” (CC0) via Pxhere