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Fungicides
FUNGICIDESFungicides are a class of pesticides that are marketed specifically for the purpose of killing or inhibiting the growth of fungus. Fungus are defined under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act as "any non-chlorophyllbearing thallophyte (that is, any non-chlorophyllbearing plant of a lower order than mosses and Table 1
liverworts), as, for example, rust, smut, mildew, mold, yeast, and bacteria, except those on or in living man or other animals and those on or in processed food, beverages, or pharmaceuticals." Although the United States statutory definition excludes fungi that would grow on food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals, biologically these are fungi. Thus, in the United States, products designed to kill fungi are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as pesticides and/or by the Food and Drug Administration under food and drug law (a chemical may fall under the purview of both agencies). The benefits of fungicide use have been many. In agriculture, fungicides control pests that may rob water and nutrients from crop plants or may cause food spoilage as the products are brought to market. Fungicides may also prevent the growth of fungi that produce toxins, such as aflatoxins. Fungicides also have important industrial applications and are important in preserving the purity and safety of certain pharmaceutical agents. In 1997 there were an estimated $0.8 billion in sales of fungicides in the United States, about 7 percent of the total pesticide market. In 1997, worldwide, 5.7 billion pounds of pesticides were used, of which 0.5 billion were fungicides. Of the1.2 billion pounds of conventional pesticides used in the United States in 1997, a total of 81 million pounds of fungicides were used; 79 percent of the use was in agriculture. Generally, the United States has experienced a downward trend in total fungicide use since 1970. There are numerous classes of fungicides, with different modes of action as well as different potentials for adverse effect on health and the environment (see Table 1). Most fungicides can cause acute toxicity, and some cause chronic toxicity as well. Hexachlorobenzene, now banned or severely restricted in most parts of the world, has been associated with human poisoning from contaminated seed grain and poisoning of infants from misuse in laundry solutions. Metam sodium and other thiocarbanates are skin irritants that can cause reactive airway disease at low doses and severe toxicity and even death at high doses. The ethylene bis dithiocarbamates (EBCDs) are suspected human carcinogens and are tightly regulated in the United States. Organic mercurials have caused severe acute and chronic toxicity. Worldwide, there have been a number of incidents of treated seed grain fed to people, with disastrous consequences in terms of acute poisoning and damage to fetuses. Phenyl mercuric acetate is no longer used as a paint preservative in the United States because it off-gases elemental mercury into the air, with the potential for causing toxicity to young children. Organotin compounds also have serious human toxicity and are very toxic to the environment; their use is banned or severely restricted in most of the world. Likewise, due to human toxicity concerns, cadmium is no longer used as a fungicide in the United States. Lynn R. Goldman (see also: Mercury; Pesticides; Toxic Substances Control Act; Toxicology ) BibliographyReigart, J. R., and Roberts, J. R. (1999). Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisoning, 5th edition. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Sine, C., ed. (1998). Farm Chemicals Handbook. Willoughby, OH: Meister. |
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Cite this article
Goldman, Lynn R.. "Fungicides." Encyclopedia of Public Health. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. Goldman, Lynn R.. "Fungicides." Encyclopedia of Public Health. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3404000361.html Goldman, Lynn R.. "Fungicides." Encyclopedia of Public Health. 2002. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3404000361.html |
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Fungicides
FungicidesFungicides are chemicals that inhibit the growth of fungi . Fungi can attack agricultural crops, garden plants, wood and wood products (dry rot in particular is a major problem), and many other items of use to humans. Fungicides usually kill the fungus that is causing the damage. Sulfur, sulfur-containing compounds, organic salts of iron, and heavy metals are all used as fungicides. Other fungicide types include carbamates or thiocarbamates such as benomyl and ziram, thiozoles such as etridiazole, triazines such as anilazine, and substituted organics such as chlorothalonil. Many non-drug fungicides have low mammalian tolerance for toxicity, and have been shown to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity in experimental animal studies. Fungicides operate in different ways depending upon the species that they are designed to combat. Many are poisons and their application must be undertaken carefully or over-application may kill other plants in the area. Some fungicides disrupt some of the metabolic pathways of fungi by inhibiting energy production or biosynthesis, and others disrupt the fungal cell wall, which is made of chitin , as opposed to the cellulose of plant cell walls. Chitin is a structural polysaccharide and is composed of chains of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine units. Fungal pathogens come from two main groups of fungi, the ascomycetes (rusts and smuts) and the basidiomycetes (the higher fungi—mushrooms, toadstools, and bracket fungi). Human fungal infections, such as athlete's foot, can be treated by fungicides normally referred to as antifungal agents or antimycotics. Compounds such as fluconazole, clotrimazole, and nystatin are used to treat human fungal infections. See also Candidiasis; Mycology |
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"Fungicides." World of Microbiology and Immunology. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Fungicides." World of Microbiology and Immunology. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3409800234.html "Fungicides." World of Microbiology and Immunology. 2003. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3409800234.html |
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fungicide
fungicide , any substance used to destroy fungi . Some fungi are extremely damaging to crops (see diseases of plants ), and others cause diseases in humans and other animals (see fungal infection ).
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"fungicide." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "fungicide." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-fungicid.html "fungicide." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-fungicid.html |
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fungicide
fun·gi·cide / ˈfənjəˌsīd; ˈfənggə-/ • n. a chemical that destroys fungus. DERIVATIVES: fun·gi·cid·al / ˌfənjəˈsīdl; ˌfənggə-/ adj. |
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"fungicide." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "fungicide." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-fungicide.html "fungicide." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-fungicide.html |
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fungicide
fungicide Chemical that kills fungi in plants and humans. In medicine this includes some antibiotics. In plants, for example, creosote is used on wood to prevent dry rot.
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"fungicide." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "fungicide." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-fungicide.html "fungicide." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-fungicide.html |
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fungicide
fungicide (fun-ji-syd) n. an agent that kills fungi. See also antifungal.
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"fungicide." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "fungicide." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-fungicide.html "fungicide." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-fungicide.html |
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fungicide
fungicide A chemical or biological agent that inhibits fungal growth.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "fungicide." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "fungicide." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-fungicide.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "fungicide." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-fungicide.html |
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fungicide
fungicide A chemical or biological agent that kills fungi.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "fungicide." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "fungicide." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-fungicide.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "fungicide." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-fungicide.html |
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fungicide
fungicide See pesticide.
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"fungicide." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "fungicide." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-fungicide.html "fungicide." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-fungicide.html |
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fungicide
fungicide
•backside, trackside
•bedside • airside
•Tayside, wayside
•lakeside • stateside • graveside
•quayside, seaside, Teesside
•beachside • hillside • ringside
•suicide • herbicide • regicide
•fungicide • filicide • Barmecide
•homicide
•germicide, spermicide
•tyrannicide • parricide
•fratricide, matricide, patricide
•uxoricide • countryside • infanticide
•insecticide • pesticide • parasiticide
•mountainside • Merseyside
•Tyneside
•dioxide, dockside, hydroxide, monoxide, oxide, peroxide
•alongside
•diopside, topside
•broadside • downside • roadside
•poolside • upside • nearside
•fireside • Humberside • underside
•genocide • waterside • riverside
•silverside • overside
•kerbside (US curbside) • Burnside
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"fungicide." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "fungicide." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-fungicide.html "fungicide." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-fungicide.html |
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