The persistence and toxicity of pesticides in relation to enzymic activity

Abstract

The degree of significance of enzyme activities in determining the rate of elimination of pesticides by vertebrates and insects is a central question in the study of their toxicity. Resistance to a particular pesticide may be greater where detoxifying enzymes are more active, and may be reduced by addition of inhibitors which block such activity selectively. Knowledge of enzymic differences between species should aid development of new selective pesticides of short persistence.