HEALTH-HAZARDS OF PESTICIDES - MEDICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PREVENTION

The main principles in the prevention of pesticide health hazards are a comprehensive toxicological evaluation of new compounds to be introduced into practice and adequate hygienic regulations allowing for all sorts of pesticides pathogenic action and various sources of their supply from the environment. In acute, subacute and chronic experiments pesticides are examined for toxicity, adverse effects on reproductive function and embryogenesis, mutagenic, carcinogenic and allergenic potential. The hygienic classification is based on the limiting criterion of the greatest damage. Safe levels are derived from the tolerance thresholds resting on persistence and changes of the shifts found, from investigations of borderline health conditions, assessment of homeostasis, hepatic immune and monooxygenase systems involved in metabolism of lipid, soluble pesticides. Animal experiments findings extrapolated to clinical conditions help to predict probable long-term responses. The directions of the research into prevention of pesticides-induced health hazards are outlined.