The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Refers to classes of organic compounds that are often used in insecticides. Many of the organophosphate pesticides were developed over the last 30 years to replace organochlorine insecticides. They generally have the highest solubilities and shortest half-lives of the common classes of pesticides, but tend to have higher acute toxicities. Organophosphates act by disrupting the central nervous system, specifically by blocking the action of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which controls nerve impulse transmission. Organophosphates can impact human health at moderate levels of exposure, causing disorientation, numbness, and tremors. Acute exposures can cause blindness and death. Well-known organophosphate pesticides include parathion, malathion, diazinon, and phosdrin.