Agricultural chemicals

chemicals toxicity, symptoms, and signs

Insecticides

organophosphates (e.g., malathion, parathion) parasympathetic excess

carbamates (e.g., carbaryl, carbofuran) parasympathetic excess

chlorinated hydrocarbons

DDT, methoxychlor CNS stimulation, convulsions, nausea, vomiting

chlordecone (Kepone) nausea, vomiting

insecticides from plants

pyrethrins allergic contact dermatitis, asthma, CNS stimulation

rotenone irritation of skin, eyes, and lung; mild CNS stimulation; breast tumours in rats

Herbicides

chlorophenoxyacetic acids

2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4-D) nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, muscle ache and twitches, peripheral nerve damage, convulsion, memory loss, colour visual disorder

2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4,5-T) irritation to skin, eyes, and nose; teratogenic in animals

bipyridinium compounds

paraquat lung fibrosis; kidney and liver damage

diquat nosebleed, cough, fever, jaundice

others (e.g., diuron, monuron, atrazine, simazine, chlorpropham, alachlor) irritation to the skin, nose, and throat

Fungicides

pentachlorophenol irritating to eyes, nose, and throat; anorexia; weakness; shortness of breath; chest pain; carcinogenic in animals

creosote extremely irritating to skin, eyes, nose, and throat

ferbam, thiram moderate irritation to eyes, nose, and throat; mild skin irritation; allergic contact dermatitis

Fumigant nematocides

1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) mildly irritating to skin, eyes, and nose; testicular damage; carcinogenic in animals

ethylene dibromide severe irritation to skin, eyes, and throat; headache; anorexia; CNS depression; carcinogenic in animals

methyl bromide headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, emotional disturbances, tremors, convulsion, coma, lung irritation, bronchial inflammation

Rodenticides

warfarin internal bleeding

strychnine restlessness, increased audio and visual sensitivities, muscular stiffness in face and legs followed by convulsion

thallium hair loss; skin eruptions; intestinal bleeding; anorexia; nausea; vomiting; injuries of peripheral nerves, liver, and kidney

Plant growth regulators

daminozide (Alar) carcinogenic in animals