Organophosphorus pesticides

Organophosphorus pesticides are a major class of pesticides comprising phosphorus-containing organic compounds, and they include organophosphorus insecticides and acaricides along with some antifungal agents. They largely replaced organochlorines from the 1960s because they break down faster in the environment, though their acute toxicity via cholinesterase inhibition demands careful handling. Used on fruits, vegetables, cereals, and in stored-product protection, they are among the most frequently detected residues in monitoring programmes. Regulatory systems control them through maximum residue limits, good agricultural practice, and, increasingly, restrictions or bans on the most hazardous members where safer alternatives exist for growers and public health.