Organophosphate pesticides: a review on classification, synthesis, toxicity, remediation and analysis

Abstract

Pesticides are toxic organic compounds extensively used in agriculture to control undesirable pests, enhance crop yields and extend shelf life of food crops. The widespread utilization of pesticides is a major contributor to pollution in soil, air and water. A class of artificial chemicals known as organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) is predominantly employed in public health campaigns, agriculture, pest management, landscaping, and vector control (e.g., mosquito management). Although they were first promoted as safer alternatives for persistent organochlorine pesticides, their effects on human health, bioaccumulation potential, and environmental persistence have caused serious concerns. Due to their high toxicity and low persistence, many agriculturalists regularly use OPPs for various crops such as fruits and vegetables. The regular utilization of pesticides has led to deleterious influences to the ecosystem and neurological disorders to humans. The toxicity of OPPs arises from their capacity to block the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at the cholinergic synapses inside the nervous system. The significant rise in the use of OPPs in agriculture necessitates precise assessment of their levels to safeguard food supplies and the ecology. Current studies on the history, classification, chemical characteristics, environmental behavior, health impacts, clinical manifestation and mitigation techniques of OPPs, as well as several approaches for their remediation and assessment are summarized in this review.