Insecticide (杀虫剂)

Insecticides refer to any toxic substances used to kill insects, which exert toxic effects on pests through different mechanisms, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling pest populations and protecting crops and human health. Insecticides have both chemical and biological origins and can be classified into organochlorine insecticides, organophosphorus insecticides, carbamate insecticides, and mineral insecticides based on their chemical properties. Insecticides interact with different target and non-target sites, including receptors, enzymes, and many other known and unknown molecules. Most insecticides are neurotoxicants that target the nervous system, but they can also affect other organs and body systems. Insecticides are metabolized through different metabolic pathways and often serve as biomarkers of exposure in the form of their parent compounds or metabolites. The toxicity of insecticides can be acute, subacute, or chronic, depending on the duration of exposure and the dose involved. Therefore, selecting sensitive, accurate, and validated biomarkers of exposure, effects, and susceptibility appears to be a challenging task.
Insecticides are widely used in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, gardening, homes, offices, and other fields^[1][2].