An ounce to more than a pint can kill a person. It is also important to be aware of chronic toxicity. Chronic toxicity is the amount of a pesticide that will cause injury during repeated exposure over a period of time. Chronic toxicity warnings are required on the labels of some pesticides. One of the most widely occurring types of chronic toxicity is cholinesterase inhibition.
Cholinesterase is a chemical produced by the body which controls nerve impulse transmission.
If cholinesterase were not present, impulses from one nerve to the next would flow continuously. Prolonged exposure to organophosphates and carbamates inhibits cholinesterase from controlling the impulses described above. There are tests available to measure the effects of exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors. SevinTM, FuradanTM and LannateTM are examples of carbamates. These compounds are commonly called cholinesterase inhibitors.