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Carbamate

Definition

Carbamic-acid ester insecticides (carbaryl, carbofuran, propoxur, aldicarb). Reversibly inhibit acetylcholinesterase by carbamylating the active-site serine; spontaneous decarbamylation makes oximes unnecessary and sometimes harmful.

Related terms

AChE / BChE
Acetylcholinesterase (RBC membrane bound, true cholinesterase) and butyrylcholinesterase (plasma, pseudo-cholinesterase). Both depressed in OP and carbamate exposure; plasma BChE falls first and...
Aluminium Phosphide (AlP)
Solid grain-fumigant rodenticide sold as Celphos, Quickphos, Sulfas tablets. On contact with moisture or stomach acid, releases phosphine (PH3) gas, which blocks...
Ellman Method
Standard spectrophotometric cholinesterase assay. Acetylthiocholine substrate plus 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) yields a yellow 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoate anion read at 412 nm. The rate of...
Organochlorine (OC)
Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides (DDT, BHC/lindane, endosulfan, dicofol, aldrin, dieldrin). Highly lipophilic, neurotoxic via voltage-gated sodium channel disruption, and persistent in fat and...
Organophosphate (OP)
A class of insecticides (monocrotophos, chlorpyrifos, methyl parathion, dichlorvos, phorate) that inhibit acetylcholinesterase, producing the cholinergic toxidrome. The dominant suicidal poison in...
Pyrethroid
Synthetic analogues of natural pyrethrins (deltamethrin, cypermethrin, permethrin, fenvalerate). Act on voltage-gated sodium channels like OC but break down quickly in mammals,...
QuEChERS
Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe sample-prep protocol for pesticide residues. Acetonitrile extraction, MgSO4 + NaCl partition, dispersive SPE clean-up with...

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