A Comprehensive Review On Pesticides: Classifications, Sources, Impacts, And Analytical Methods

Abstract

Background: Pesticides are synthetic compounds that are widely used to control pests, insects, and weeds in various settings. They are classified into organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, and organochlorines, based on their chemical structure and mode of action. Although pesticides have significantly contributed to increased agricultural productivity, their widespread use has raised concerns regarding environmental contamination and potential health risks. Pesticides originate from various sources including agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, urban pest control, wastewater treatment plants, and landfill leachates. They have significant negative environmental effects such as contamination of surface water and groundwater, bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms, disruption of non-target species, and soil degradation. Pesticide exposure also poses risks to human health, including acute and chronic toxicity, leading to carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, and reproductive toxicity.Conclusion: The presence of pesticide residues in food and drinking water is a serious public health concern. To address these issues, sensitive and selective analytical methods have been developed for pesticide detection, including spectroscopic (UV-Vis and FT-IR), chromatographic (TLC, HPLC, GC-ECD, and GC-MS), electrochemical (DPV), and bioanalytical techniques (ELISA and biosensors). This study provides a comprehensive review of the classification, sources, impacts, and analytical methods of pesticides analysis.