Question

Parathion is a pesticide. In which one of the following categories it belongs?
A. Organochlorine
B. Synthetic pyrethroids
C. Carbamate
D. Organophosphate

Answer 1

Hint: Basically, they are carcinogenic in nature. They all are obtained from phosphoric acid. Of all pesticides for vertebrate animals, they are usually among the most acutely toxic which have the capacity to cause cancer.

Complete step by step answer: Organophosphate (OP) compounds are the widely used insecticides. Organophosphates pesticides were produced in Germany in the 1940s and soon became an effective protection against agricultural pests. They are very successful and pose limited environmental concerns. However, a serious downside is that they also tend to be highly toxic. They are known to be junior-strong nerve agents because they have the same mode of action as nerve gases, such as sarin."
Hence, Option D is the right answer.

Additional Information: Once they enter the environment, what happens to organophosphates?
Since organophosphates are often sprayed on crops and plants, before dropping to the ground, small particles of the chemical can be carried away from the field or yard.
They may be present in the soil, surface water, and on the surface of the plants after organophosphates are applied. They can move and contaminate ground water through the soil.
Rain has the capacity of washing organophosphates on soil and plant surfaces into surface waters.
In order not to build up in the environment, organophosphates are rapidly broken down into the other chemicals.
In animal or plant foods that you might eat, organophosphates are not likely to build up to high or dangerous levels.

Note: Some research in adults and children have related the exposure to organophosphate to lymphoma and leukaemia. Overall, home pesticide use has been associated with childhood cancers such as soft tissue sarcomas, leukemias, and brain cancer. The outcomes of these studies are contentious.