Baars A J
Centraal Diergeneeskundig Instituut, Afd. Biochemie & Toxicologie, Lelystad.
Tijdschr Diergeneeskd. 1990 Aug 15;115(15-16):720-6.
Pesticides are unique toxic compounds, as they have to comply with two requirements: A high degree of toxicity as well as being highly specific. These requirements are difficult to combine. In the past, risk assessment was limited to the danger to human health, but today ecological risks are also taken into account. Consequently, modern pesticides would seem to be relatively safe. However, research in this particular field is scarce. Injurious effects on domestic animals due to pesticides is almost always caused by abuse or accidents, having their origin in human failure. Injury to birds (the only species thoroughly monitored) is also rarely attributable to any type of side-effect of legal pesticide usage. However, cases of deliberate misuse or abuse, intended to kill birds, are very common.
农药是独特的有毒化合物，因为它们必须满足两个要求：高毒性以及高度特异性。这两个要求很难兼顾。过去，风险评估仅限于对人类健康的危害，但如今生态风险也被纳入考量。因此，现代农药似乎相对安全。然而，这一特定领域的研究却很匮乏。农药对家畜造成的伤害几乎总是由滥用或事故导致，根源在于人为失误。对鸟类（唯一受到全面监测的物种）的伤害也很少归因于合法使用农药的任何类型的副作用。然而，故意滥用或蓄意杀害鸟类的情况却非常普遍。
