Pesticides

Abstract

A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances used to control living organisms that cause damage or economic loss, or transmit or produce disease, including such animals as insects or mice, unwanted plants, microorganisms such as those causing plant diseases, or viruses. Early pesticides were simple, often toxic inorganic compounds having a broad spectrum of activity, and often applied indiscriminately at high rates. Newer crop protection agents are generally complex organic chemicals, which may bind to a specific enzyme receptor. Some commercial pesticides are biological agents. Pesticide use in the United States include herbicides (the largest sector), insecticides, fungicides, and others, including household disinfectants, repellents, rodenticides, etc. All pesticides produced and used in the United States must be reviewed and registered by the U.S. EPA. Extensive studies on chemistry, residues in treated food commodities, environmental fate, and toxicity to laboratory animals and wildlife, to demonstrate that proposed uses do not cause undue harm to humans or the environment, are required. The use of genetically modified microorganisms as pesticides and their impact is discussed. Problems for the agrochemical industry and for government regulators include the lack of harmonization of study requirements in developed countries, and public perception that pesticides are not adequately tested and are inherently harmful.

Modeling, simulation and analysis for sustainable product development

“…To demonstrate a manufacturing planning scenario with an emphasis on sustainability, a simulation model has been built based on the work flow schematic as shown in Figure 13. The work flow schematic was adopted and modified from [31]. This scenario presents a paint shop with six painting steps to set the scene for requirements in an automotive paint shop.…”

“…Figure 13 Example paint shop processes (adopted from Leng, and Yingchao 2005) In Figure 3, the spray booth shows six steps (Body Preparation, Tag Rag, Base Coat, Clear Coat, Oven and Polishing) incorporated in the simulation model. The model was created based on some earlier work [33][34][35] as seen in Figure 14.…”