Chemistry and toxicology behind insecticides and herbicides

Pesticides are chemicals used around the globe to kill, reduce, or repel whatever organism capable of threatening public health or economy. Although essential to maintain agricultural production, these compounds target systems or enzymes on the intended organism that are often similar or even the same present in other living beings. Furthermore, a considerable range of pesticides is environmentally persistent and has bioaccumulation characteristics. Even after some of the pesticides have been banned and prohibited from use, these can still be found accumulated in the environment, threatening the health and even life. Hence, the understanding of how the insecticides and herbicides mode of action work and how these chemicals can negatively affect their surrounding is essential. In this chapter, an overview of chemical aspects, uses, environmental persistence, and human toxicity concerning herbicides and insecticides will be presented.