Question

A public health nurse is working with a migrant farm worker who has experienced an exposure to a pesticide. When researching pesticides, the nurse looks at the "family" of the chemical. What similarities are found among chemicals that have been placed in the same family?

Answer 1

Chemicals within the same family of pesticides tend to have similar structures and thus share similar properties and actions. For instance, organophosphates all inhibit a specific enzyme in pests. This information helps in understanding the likely health effects and guiding treatment strategies in case of exposure.

Step-by-step explanation:

Chemical 'families' in the context of pesticides refer to groups of pesticides that are chemically similar, usually because they contain similar active structures or functional groups. These similarities among chemicals in the same family often result in similar properties, behaviors, and methods of action.

For example, the organophosphate family of pesticides all share a common phosphorus atom bonded to four other atoms, which gives them similar properties, such as their mode of action on pests. They usually act by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme crucial for nerve function in insects, causing overstimulation of the nervous system and eventual death of the pest.

By understanding the 'family' of a pesticide, the public health nurse will better understand the likely toxicity and health risks associated with exposure to the pesticide, and this can help guide treatment strategies for the exposed worker.

Learn more about Chemical Families