Massachusetts Pesticide Test
Chronic health effect - Answer-Problems that develop over a relatively long period of time, following
either one significant exposure that initiates a problem, or following a series of small exposures which
accumulate in some manner and result in a development of a disease or disorder
acute toxicity - Answer-Poisoning from a single dose over a much shorter duration of time
How soon do health effects occur from accrue toxicity? - Answer-Within 24 hours of exposure
Chronic health risk problems (major examples) - Answer-Mutagenicity, oncogenicity, carcinogenicity,
teratogenicity, neurotoxicity
Mutagenicity - Answer-Ability of a substance or agent to cause mutations to genes or chromosomes
Changes from mutagenicity are... - Answer-Almost always harmful
Tests to detect mutagenicity - Answer-Varied. Tests on cells to tests on whole animals
It's believed that chemicals that cause mutations are more likely to be ones that can also cause... -
Answer-Cancers
,Why is mutation testing used as a first screen for new compounds? - Answer-Faster and cheaper than
animal lifetime testing
Oncogenicity - Answer-The ability of a chemical to cause abnormal growths or tumors in tissues
Carcinogenicity - Answer-Ability of a substance or agent to cause malignant tumors
How do they test chemicals for their ability to cause tumors - Answer-Administering daily doses to
animals for their entire lifetime and then dissecting them to detect presence of tumors in the animals
tissues
A rodent carcinogenicity study takes how long typically? - Answer-2-3 years
Pesticide companies are required to submit test data on oncogenicity from.... - Answer-Several animal
species
There are currently how many pesticide active ingredients considered known, likely, or probable
carcinogens - Answer-Over 70
MDAR - Answer-Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
Act to protect children and families from harmful pesticides - Answer-Passed in 2000. Pesticide products
that contain carcinogens may not be used in or around schools, daycares, or after school programs
Teratogenicity - Answer-Ability of a substance to cause abnormal growth or deformity in developing
fetuses (birth defects)
,How is teratogenicity tested - Answer-Administering doses of chemical to female test animals at various
stages of pregnancies and observing number of miscarriages and defective offspring verses what would
normally be expected
Examples of animals used to test teratogenicity - Answer-Rodents, rabbits, dogs, monkeys
Effects of chemicals are usually considered significant for teratogenicity if... - Answer-They occur at
doses not toxic by themselves to the mother
Testing for teratogenicity is standard part of pesticide registration although ___________ May exist for
older chemicals - Answer-Data gaps
Neurotoxicity - Answer-Gradual damage to basic nerve structure. Does not refer to reversible effects
Test animal for neurotoxicity - Answer-Chicken
Hepatoxicity - Answer-Damage to liver
Nephrotoxicity - Answer-damage to the kidneys
Immunotoxicity - Answer-Compromise immune system
Fetotoxicity - Answer-Direct toxic injury or death of fetus
Hemotoxic effects - Answer-Blood disorders
, Cholinesterases - Answer-Enzymes found in humans, insects, and other species that are necessary for
normal function of the nervous system
What kind of insecticides can block or inhibit cholinesterases - Answer-Organophosphates, carbamates
How much exposure to cholinesterase blocking pesticides does it take to make you feel sick - Answer-
Depends on type of product, potency of active ingredient, amount of exposure, whether you're handling
concentrated or diluted mixture
Effects of exposure to cholinesterase blocking pesticides - Answer-May range from no observable effects
to severe illnesses or symptoms requiring hospitalization. Severe poisoning can lead to coma or death
When do symptoms occur after exposure to cholinesterase blocking pesticides - Answer-Anywhere from
time of exposure to 12 hours
Symptoms of acute poisoning from cholinesterase blocking pesticides - Answer-Nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, tightness in chest, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, cramps, restlessness, headache,
confusion
Poisoning from organophosphates or carbamates can resemble... - Answer-Drunkenness, head cold, flu
Why monitor cholinesterase levels - Answer-To establish a baseline for normal activity and be alerted to
any drop in enzyme levels before they reach values low enough to make you sick. Changes can be
detected in absence of symptoms. Workers can be removed from exposure before symptoms occur
Natural recovery from cholinesterase blocking pesticides exposure normally occurs... - Answer-When
exposure stops
Who should have their cholinesterase levels monitored? - Answer-People who regularly use
organophosphates and carbamates
Chronic health effect - Answer-Problems that develop over a relatively long period of time, following
either one significant exposure that initiates a problem, or following a series of small exposures which
accumulate in some manner and result in a development of a disease or disorder
acute toxicity - Answer-Poisoning from a single dose over a much shorter duration of time
How soon do health effects occur from accrue toxicity? - Answer-Within 24 hours of exposure
Chronic health risk problems (major examples) - Answer-Mutagenicity, oncogenicity, carcinogenicity,
teratogenicity, neurotoxicity
Mutagenicity - Answer-Ability of a substance or agent to cause mutations to genes or chromosomes
Changes from mutagenicity are... - Answer-Almost always harmful
Tests to detect mutagenicity - Answer-Varied. Tests on cells to tests on whole animals
It's believed that chemicals that cause mutations are more likely to be ones that can also cause... -
Answer-Cancers
,Why is mutation testing used as a first screen for new compounds? - Answer-Faster and cheaper than
animal lifetime testing
Oncogenicity - Answer-The ability of a chemical to cause abnormal growths or tumors in tissues
Carcinogenicity - Answer-Ability of a substance or agent to cause malignant tumors
How do they test chemicals for their ability to cause tumors - Answer-Administering daily doses to
animals for their entire lifetime and then dissecting them to detect presence of tumors in the animals
tissues
A rodent carcinogenicity study takes how long typically? - Answer-2-3 years
Pesticide companies are required to submit test data on oncogenicity from.... - Answer-Several animal
species
There are currently how many pesticide active ingredients considered known, likely, or probable
carcinogens - Answer-Over 70
MDAR - Answer-Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
Act to protect children and families from harmful pesticides - Answer-Passed in 2000. Pesticide products
that contain carcinogens may not be used in or around schools, daycares, or after school programs
Teratogenicity - Answer-Ability of a substance to cause abnormal growth or deformity in developing
fetuses (birth defects)
,How is teratogenicity tested - Answer-Administering doses of chemical to female test animals at various
stages of pregnancies and observing number of miscarriages and defective offspring verses what would
normally be expected
Examples of animals used to test teratogenicity - Answer-Rodents, rabbits, dogs, monkeys
Effects of chemicals are usually considered significant for teratogenicity if... - Answer-They occur at
doses not toxic by themselves to the mother
Testing for teratogenicity is standard part of pesticide registration although ___________ May exist for
older chemicals - Answer-Data gaps
Neurotoxicity - Answer-Gradual damage to basic nerve structure. Does not refer to reversible effects
Test animal for neurotoxicity - Answer-Chicken
Hepatoxicity - Answer-Damage to liver
Nephrotoxicity - Answer-damage to the kidneys
Immunotoxicity - Answer-Compromise immune system
Fetotoxicity - Answer-Direct toxic injury or death of fetus
Hemotoxic effects - Answer-Blood disorders
, Cholinesterases - Answer-Enzymes found in humans, insects, and other species that are necessary for
normal function of the nervous system
What kind of insecticides can block or inhibit cholinesterases - Answer-Organophosphates, carbamates
How much exposure to cholinesterase blocking pesticides does it take to make you feel sick - Answer-
Depends on type of product, potency of active ingredient, amount of exposure, whether you're handling
concentrated or diluted mixture
Effects of exposure to cholinesterase blocking pesticides - Answer-May range from no observable effects
to severe illnesses or symptoms requiring hospitalization. Severe poisoning can lead to coma or death
When do symptoms occur after exposure to cholinesterase blocking pesticides - Answer-Anywhere from
time of exposure to 12 hours
Symptoms of acute poisoning from cholinesterase blocking pesticides - Answer-Nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, tightness in chest, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, cramps, restlessness, headache,
confusion
Poisoning from organophosphates or carbamates can resemble... - Answer-Drunkenness, head cold, flu
Why monitor cholinesterase levels - Answer-To establish a baseline for normal activity and be alerted to
any drop in enzyme levels before they reach values low enough to make you sick. Changes can be
detected in absence of symptoms. Workers can be removed from exposure before symptoms occur
Natural recovery from cholinesterase blocking pesticides exposure normally occurs... - Answer-When
exposure stops
Who should have their cholinesterase levels monitored? - Answer-People who regularly use
organophosphates and carbamates
