Organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides

The insecticidal properties of organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate compounds were first discovered in the 1930s, and the compounds were developed for pesticide use in the 1940s. They have been used increasingly since the 1970s when environmentally persistent organochlorine pesticides, such as DDT and dieldrin, were banned for use in the United States. Organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides are generally short-lived in the environment (usually lasting only days to months instead of years) and, generally, chemical breakdown is accelerated as temperatures or pH or both increase.