Preface
When first developed, chlorinated pesticides such as DDT, dieldrin, and mirex
were received with open arms, quickly becoming popular as effective, economic
agents against pests. But evidence began to mount that residues of these chemicals
remained in the environment, not breaking down, often appearing in plants and
animals. By the late seventies many pesticides had achieved a terrible notoriety
and were subsequently banned in a number of countries. Of tremendous concern,
then, is the persistence of pesticides in the environment.
The major thrust of research and development in the area of pesticides has
properly been the creation of substances that are both effective and degradable.
Yet in order to successfully promote the use of biodegradable pesticides, one
must fully understand the mechanism of degradation, and it is to this vital subject
that we address ourselves in the present volume.
According to the Biodegradation Task Force, Safety of Chemicals Committee, Brussels (1978), biodegradation may be defined as
the molecular degradation of an organic substance resulting from the complex action
of living organisms. A substance is said to be biodegraded to an environmentally
acceptable extent when environmentally undesirable properties are lost. Loss of some
characteristic function or property of substance by biodegradation may be referred to
as biological transformation.
Since the subject of pesticide degradation is complex, often involving sophisticated knowledge of the mutual interaction between chemical and environment, we have attempted to summarize current knowledge of, and thinking on,
pesticide degradation, presenting scientific principles as well as describing their
practical applications. Our intended audience comprises those who develop new
pesticides, who assess their environmental hazards, or who regulate their use.
The idea for this book originated from productive sessions at the United
States-India Workshop on Biodegradable Pesticides, held in Lucknow, India,
under the auspices of the National Science Foundation's International Programs
vii
When first developed, chlorinated pesticides such as DDT, dieldrin, and mirex
were received with open arms, quickly becoming popular as effective, economic
agents against pests. But evidence began to mount that residues of these chemicals
remained in the environment, not breaking down, often appearing in plants and
animals. By the late seventies many pesticides had achieved a terrible notoriety
and were subsequently banned in a number of countries. Of tremendous concern,
then, is the persistence of pesticides in the environment.
The major thrust of research and development in the area of pesticides has
properly been the creation of substances that are both effective and degradable.
Yet in order to successfully promote the use of biodegradable pesticides, one
must fully understand the mechanism of degradation, and it is to this vital subject
that we address ourselves in the present volume.
According to the Biodegradation Task Force, Safety of Chemicals Committee, Brussels (1978), biodegradation may be defined as
the molecular degradation of an organic substance resulting from the complex action
of living organisms. A substance is said to be biodegraded to an environmentally
acceptable extent when environmentally undesirable properties are lost. Loss of some
characteristic function or property of substance by biodegradation may be referred to
as biological transformation.
Since the subject of pesticide degradation is complex, often involving sophisticated knowledge of the mutual interaction between chemical and environment, we have attempted to summarize current knowledge of, and thinking on,
pesticide degradation, presenting scientific principles as well as describing their
practical applications. Our intended audience comprises those who develop new
pesticides, who assess their environmental hazards, or who regulate their use.
The idea for this book originated from productive sessions at the United
States-India Workshop on Biodegradable Pesticides, held in Lucknow, India,
under the auspices of the National Science Foundation's International Programs
vii