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Insecticides, due to the wide range of application and the amount of preparations used, are of the greatest importance in plant protection and toxicology. The most important are polychlorinated and organophosphorus compounds.
Harmful activity polychlorinated compounds on the human body mainly affects the nervous tissue.
Symptoms of poisoning
In the case of acute poisoning, the absorption time may vary from half to several hours, depending on the dose (exposure) and route of absorption. First there is anxiety, general malaise, nausea, sometimes vomiting, excessive excitability, impaired coordination of movements, numbness of the tongue, tingling around the mouth, hyperalgesia of the face and limbs, headaches and dizziness. Later, muscle tremors or generalized convulsions, trismus, further disturbances in consciousness, pulse and breathing. Death can occur amid symptoms of pulmonary edema, ventricular fibrillation, or respiratory paralysis. After the survival of acute poisonings, there are changes in the central and peripheral nervous system (walking disorders, hearing impairment, paralysis and muscle atrophy), damage to the liver, kidneys and heart muscle.
First aid
In oral poisoning – medicinal charcoal, provoking vomiting, sodium sulfate and liquid paraffin. Castor oil, milk, fats and alcohol must not be given. Urgent contact with poison center required.
Organophosphorus insecticides are synthetic esters of phosphoric, thion-, dio- and pyrophosphoric acids. In Poland, they are approved for use as insecticides. Organophosphorus esters, similarly to polychlorinated compounds, dissolve well in fats and do not dissolve well or not at all in water. They are easily absorbed from the digestive tract, as well as through the respiratory tract and skin. They work by inhibiting the activity of choline esterase, an enzyme that is very important in animal organisms, which breaks down acetylcholine. If there is no active esterase, acetylcholine accumulates in excess, and because it is a stimulator of the central and peripheral nervous system, especially the parasympathetic system, there are significant dysfunctions of all internal organs controlled by this system. In addition, the excitability of the central nervous system and motor nerve endings in skeletal muscles increases.
Symptoms of poisoning
According to the above mechanism of action of organophosphorus compounds, poisoning with them causes three types of symptoms.
Symptoms depend on the stimulation of the parasympathetic system in the form of sweating, drooling, lacrimation, nausea and vomiting, intestinal colic, diarrhea, bronchospasm, constriction of the pupils (dilatation occurs at the end), slowing of the heart rate, initially rising, then lowering blood pressure.
Symptoms depend on irritationfollowed by paralysis nerve connections in the ganglia of the autonomic system i motor nerve endings in muscles (nicotine effect), tremors of the filamentous muscles (especially of the face, eyelids, neck), stiffness of the calves, numbness and severe weakness of the muscles, increased heart rate and a temporary increase in blood pressure; these symptoms become apparent after muscarinic symptoms.
Symptoms depend on the stimulation of the central nervous systemin the form of restlessness, anxiety, decreased sensitivity to pain, inhibition of reflexes, ataxia, speech difficulties, irregular breathing, coma.
Death can occur from paralysis of the respiratory system or the chest muscles, pulmonary edema, or cardiac arrest.
First aid
In case of skin poisoning (frequent), remove contaminated clothing, wash skin with soap and water. The rescuer should protect himself against contamination (rubber gloves, possible artificial respiration). In case of eye contamination, rinse the conjunctiva. In oral poisoning – medicinal charcoal, provoking vomiting, Glauber’s salt, protection of basic life activities, oxygen. Immediate transfer to the hospital.
Read also:
- Poisoning with dishwashing agents
- Poisoning with organic solvents