Abstract
Pesticide Toxicology and International Regulation is one of several books in the Current Toxicology Series that are intended as reference sources aimed at academic/industrial/professional audiences. Many noted experts are contributors to individual chapters in this book. The majority of the chapters briefly review the toxicology and potential human health effects of specific insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides as well as microbial pesticides and biocides. Additional chapters provide information about potential human exposure through dietary residues of pesticides and also as a result of occupational exposures. Also, a chapter is included on the treatment of pesticide poisoning in humans. The remainder of the book describes the regulatory systems for pesticides and biocides in the European Union, the North American Free Trade Area (United States, Canada, and Mexico), and Japan.
Toxicologists, toxicologic pathologists, and others involved in the manufacture, use, and regulation of pesticides would be interested in this reference; however, the information is unlikely to be of interest to veterinary pathologists in general. The format and style vary among the chapters from a simple outline to extensive text and detail. Illustrations are limited to chemical structures. References are included for each chapter and there is an adequate index. Inclusion of information about the ecotoxicology (and environmental fate) of pesticides is brief and inconsistent. Also, there are no details in regard to the health effects test guidelines that are utilized for registration studies and no perspective on related scientific issues, such as maximum tolerated dose. The preface chapter on the “Toxicity Classifications and Hazard Ratings” is somewhat selective, lacks appropriate references, and contains some inaccurate information (e.g., EPA acute toxicity classifications).
A more comprehensive reference on pesticide toxicology is: Krieger, R. (ed.), Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology, 2nd ed., 1908 pp., Academic Press, San Diego, 2001.