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Residue Reviews: Residues of Pesticides and Other Foreign Chemicals in Foods and Feeds
Fd Cosmet. Toxicol. Vol. 8, pp. 189-190. Pergamon Press 1970. Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS Residue Reviews: Residues of Pesticides and Other Foreign Chemicals in Foods and Feeds. Vol. 25. Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969. pp. x q- 364. DM 79,20. Residue Reviews: Residues of Pesticides and Other Foreign Chemicals in Foods and Feeds. Vol. 26. Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969, pp. vii -q- 142. DM 40. Since their birth over 7 years ago both Food and Cosmetics Toxicology and Residue Reviews have in their different ways attempted to keep abreast of the fast-moving developments in their respective fields of interest. Judgement on the success of the former is best left to our readers, but in the case of Residue Reviews special tribute must be paid to its editor, F. A. Gunther, for his painstaking efforts in ensuring right from the start the attainment of an exceptionally high standard both in diversity of subject and quality of presentation and also for leading the way with a number of notable contributions from his own pen. It is appropriate that the reaching of the quarter-century milestone in this series should be celebrated with a bumper volume in which is presented the collected papers of a seminar on "Pesticide Metabolism, Degradation, and Mode of Action" held in Japan in August 1967. This was the second in a series of three seminars and it is worth noting that the first and third dealt with "Microbiological Control of Pests" and "New Biochemical Approaches to Pest Control" respectively--two more scoops for Residue Reviews? In all these jointly sponsored meetings, the papers and discussions were shared more or less equally between the US and Japanese participants. Volume 25 is divided into five sections, dealing with pesticide photodecomposition, herbicide metabolism and mode of action, fungicide mode of action, insecticide metabolism and mode of action, and physicochemical approaches. Inevitably some of the Japanese work covered problems more relevant to the orient; for example the metabolism of strychnine nitrate in bears (the population control of which is achieved with this poison), the mode o f action of the agricultural antibiotics (blasticidin S, kasugamycin, cellocidin and polyoxin) used particularly against rice pests, and the fungicidal action of phenylmercury and organophosphorus compounds and pentachlorobenzyl alcohol, all used in the control of rice blast. However, other Japanese papers were of a more extrovert character and reflected rapidly-growing Japanese interest in the fundamental issues at stake in pesticide usage and action (e.g. the mechanism of the low toxicity of sumithion in mammals and the in vitro metabolism of organophosphorus compounds in mammalian and insect tissues). Almost half of the volume is devoted to insecticide metabolism and mode of action. If anything, there is a bias towards the organophosphorus compounds but space is also found for a discussion of the natural insecticides (nicotinoids, pyrethroids and rotenoids). Two accounts of the interaction of pesticides with nerve action and a review illustrating the importance of genetic control in the detoxication of the various insecticide classes as a causal mechanism of insecticide resistance are particularly welcome. The final section deals with the importance of physicochemical factors in the phytotoxic activity of substituted 189
190
BOOK REVIEWS
phenols, in the anticholinesterase activity of various organophosphorus compounds and in the absorption of insecticides through the insect cuticle. In comparison, Volume 26 necessarily represents something of an anti-climax, but prominence is given to some interesting analytical problems. Japanese efforts are again evident, this time in connexion with their legislative control of pesticides which involves a compulsory registration scheme and the growing practice of specifying residue tolerances. Also to the fore are the efforts of the editor and two of his colleagues in a joint account which leads to the conclusion that naturally-occurring organochlorine compounds (principally fungal metabolites) are unlikely to interfere with the analytical detection of organochlorine pesticide residues. Other subjects dealt with include the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in water, a specific gas-chromatographic method for residues of organic nitrogen pesticides, and the contribution made by pesticide residues in fresh plants to the pesticide load in milk and beef products. Finally there is one contribution carrying toxicology's flag, a review of the toxic hazards of some auxin herbicides to man and animals. Residue Reviews may not be a best seller but despite the recent revaluation of the W. German mark it still provides excellent value for money. Toxicity of Industrial Metals. 2nd ed. By Ethel Browning. Butterworths, London, 1969. pp. viii + 383.84s. Like its predecessor published in 1961, this second edition follows a monographic form. Thus for each of the 44 metals covered a description is given of properties and occurrence, production, industrial uses, metabolism, toxicology in man and animals, treatment of cases of industrial poisoning and so on. The second edition is only slightly larger than the first, a result achieved not by cutting back some of the older wood to make more room for the fresh growth but rather by leaving the old and limiting the amount of possible new growth. The author states her intention of mentioning only the more relevant developments that have found their way into the scientific literature since 1960. In practical terms this has meant the addition of only some 140 new references. No evidence is to be found of Kehoe's achievements on lead, Schroeder's outstanding work on the biological significance of trace elements such as vanadium, tin, chromium, titanium and cadmium, Faulkner Hudson's book on the toxicology and biological significance of vanadium or Rosenfeld and Beath's similar work on selenium, to mention a few examples. The book, written in a beautifully lucid style, is aimed at those concerned in a practical way with the toxic hazards of these metals and at those interested fundamentally in their biological or biochemical effects. The only reservation to be made about its recommendation is that it may prove something of a luxury to those already possessing a copy of the first edition. The 44 metals covered are the same as those considered in the 1961 volume and the monographic chapters on about half of these have undergone little or no change. Readers may feel disappointed that the opportunity has not been taken to recognize more completely the full progress in this field and especially the public-health importance of environmental levels of some of these metals. But in all fairness, this was not the declared wish of the author.
BOOK REVIEWS Residue Reviews: Residues of Pesticides and Other Foreign Chemicals in Foods and Feeds. Vol. 25. Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969. pp. x q- 364. DM 79,20. Residue Reviews: Residues of Pesticides and Other Foreign Chemicals in Foods and Feeds. Vol. 26. Edited by F. A. Gunther. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969, pp. vii -q- 142. DM 40. Since their birth over 7 years ago both Food and Cosmetics Toxicology and Residue Reviews have in their different ways attempted to keep abreast of the fast-moving developments in their respective fields of interest. Judgement on the success of the former is best left to our readers, but in the case of Residue Reviews special tribute must be paid to its editor, F. A. Gunther, for his painstaking efforts in ensuring right from the start the attainment of an exceptionally high standard both in diversity of subject and quality of presentation and also for leading the way with a number of notable contributions from his own pen. It is appropriate that the reaching of the quarter-century milestone in this series should be celebrated with a bumper volume in which is presented the collected papers of a seminar on "Pesticide Metabolism, Degradation, and Mode of Action" held in Japan in August 1967. This was the second in a series of three seminars and it is worth noting that the first and third dealt with "Microbiological Control of Pests" and "New Biochemical Approaches to Pest Control" respectively--two more scoops for Residue Reviews? In all these jointly sponsored meetings, the papers and discussions were shared more or less equally between the US and Japanese participants. Volume 25 is divided into five sections, dealing with pesticide photodecomposition, herbicide metabolism and mode of action, fungicide mode of action, insecticide metabolism and mode of action, and physicochemical approaches. Inevitably some of the Japanese work covered problems more relevant to the orient; for example the metabolism of strychnine nitrate in bears (the population control of which is achieved with this poison), the mode o f action of the agricultural antibiotics (blasticidin S, kasugamycin, cellocidin and polyoxin) used particularly against rice pests, and the fungicidal action of phenylmercury and organophosphorus compounds and pentachlorobenzyl alcohol, all used in the control of rice blast. However, other Japanese papers were of a more extrovert character and reflected rapidly-growing Japanese interest in the fundamental issues at stake in pesticide usage and action (e.g. the mechanism of the low toxicity of sumithion in mammals and the in vitro metabolism of organophosphorus compounds in mammalian and insect tissues). Almost half of the volume is devoted to insecticide metabolism and mode of action. If anything, there is a bias towards the organophosphorus compounds but space is also found for a discussion of the natural insecticides (nicotinoids, pyrethroids and rotenoids). Two accounts of the interaction of pesticides with nerve action and a review illustrating the importance of genetic control in the detoxication of the various insecticide classes as a causal mechanism of insecticide resistance are particularly welcome. The final section deals with the importance of physicochemical factors in the phytotoxic activity of substituted 189
190
BOOK REVIEWS
phenols, in the anticholinesterase activity of various organophosphorus compounds and in the absorption of insecticides through the insect cuticle. In comparison, Volume 26 necessarily represents something of an anti-climax, but prominence is given to some interesting analytical problems. Japanese efforts are again evident, this time in connexion with their legislative control of pesticides which involves a compulsory registration scheme and the growing practice of specifying residue tolerances. Also to the fore are the efforts of the editor and two of his colleagues in a joint account which leads to the conclusion that naturally-occurring organochlorine compounds (principally fungal metabolites) are unlikely to interfere with the analytical detection of organochlorine pesticide residues. Other subjects dealt with include the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in water, a specific gas-chromatographic method for residues of organic nitrogen pesticides, and the contribution made by pesticide residues in fresh plants to the pesticide load in milk and beef products. Finally there is one contribution carrying toxicology's flag, a review of the toxic hazards of some auxin herbicides to man and animals. Residue Reviews may not be a best seller but despite the recent revaluation of the W. German mark it still provides excellent value for money. Toxicity of Industrial Metals. 2nd ed. By Ethel Browning. Butterworths, London, 1969. pp. viii + 383.84s. Like its predecessor published in 1961, this second edition follows a monographic form. Thus for each of the 44 metals covered a description is given of properties and occurrence, production, industrial uses, metabolism, toxicology in man and animals, treatment of cases of industrial poisoning and so on. The second edition is only slightly larger than the first, a result achieved not by cutting back some of the older wood to make more room for the fresh growth but rather by leaving the old and limiting the amount of possible new growth. The author states her intention of mentioning only the more relevant developments that have found their way into the scientific literature since 1960. In practical terms this has meant the addition of only some 140 new references. No evidence is to be found of Kehoe's achievements on lead, Schroeder's outstanding work on the biological significance of trace elements such as vanadium, tin, chromium, titanium and cadmium, Faulkner Hudson's book on the toxicology and biological significance of vanadium or Rosenfeld and Beath's similar work on selenium, to mention a few examples. The book, written in a beautifully lucid style, is aimed at those concerned in a practical way with the toxic hazards of these metals and at those interested fundamentally in their biological or biochemical effects. The only reservation to be made about its recommendation is that it may prove something of a luxury to those already possessing a copy of the first edition. The 44 metals covered are the same as those considered in the 1961 volume and the monographic chapters on about half of these have undergone little or no change. Readers may feel disappointed that the opportunity has not been taken to recognize more completely the full progress in this field and especially the public-health importance of environmental levels of some of these metals. But in all fairness, this was not the declared wish of the author.