Toxicity, monitoring and biodegradation of organophosphate pesticides: A review

Organophosphates are one of the major constituent of herbicides, pesticides, insecticides and nerve gas. Azinophos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, fonofos and disulfoton are well-known organophosphate pesticides (OPs) having extensive applications in agriculture, horticulture, pest control, plastic making, flame retardants and for several household applications. OPs are the ester forms of phosphoric acid, usually considered as safe for agriculture use due to their relatively fast degradation rates. Acute or chronic exposure to OPs can produce varying levels of toxicity in humans, animals, plants, and insects. These are known to inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity, not only in insects but also in aquatic and…