Pesticides

Pesticides are chemical substances used to kill or control pests such as insects and rodents, as well as weeds and other harmful plants. Some occur naturally but the majority used in agriculture are synthetic chemicals. There are various types of pesticides including: herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides.

Pesticides have many harmful effects on people and the environment. They are toxic to species deemed as pests but can also harm or kill beneficial species.

People are exposed to pesticides through food water and air, and can affect human health through short term occupational poisoning or chronic long term illness. The most dangerous chemicals used in farming such as organophosphates have been linked with a range of problems including cancer, decreasing male fertility, fetal syndrome on children and Parkinson disease.

Using the latest Instrumental techniques Marchwood Scientific Services are able to detect extremely low levels of pesticides in food including:

Organophosphorus pesticides
Organochlorines
Organonitrogen compounds
Pyrethroids
Other food contaminant analysis are available.