Mancozeb is a

dithiocarbamate In organic chemistry, a dithiocarbamate is a chemical compound with the general formula . It contains the functional group with the Chemical structure, structure . It is the analog of a carbamate in which both oxygen atoms are replaced by sulfur ...

non-systemic agricultural

fungicide Fungicides are pesticides used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in losses of yield and quality. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals, ...

with multi-site, protective action on contact. It is a combination of two other dithiocarbamates: maneb and

zineb Zineb is the chemical compound with the formula n. Structurally, it is classified as a coordination polymer and a dithiocarbamate complex. This pale yellow solid is used as fungicide. Production and applications It is produced by treating ethyle ...

. The mixture controls many fungal diseases in a wide range of field crops, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and ornamentals. It is marketed as Penncozeb, Trimanoc, Vondozeb, Dithane, Manzeb, Nemispot, and Manzane. In Canada, a mixture of zoxamide and mancozeb was registered for control of the mildew named Gavel as early as 2008.

Mechanism

Mancozeb reacts with, and inactivates, the sulfhydryl groups of

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although over 500 amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the 22 α-amino acids incorporated into proteins. Only these 22 a ...

s and

enzyme An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different mol ...

s within fungal cells, resulting in disruption of lipid metabolism, respiration, and production of

adenosine triphosphate Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a nucleoside triphosphate that provides energy to drive and support many processes in living cell (biology), cells, such as muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and chemical synthesis. Found in all known ...

. Mancozeb is listed under FRAC code M:03 The "M:" refers to Chemicals with Multi-Site Activity. "M:" FRAC groups are defined as generally considered as a low risk group without any signs of resistance developing to the fungicides.

Toxicology

A major toxicological concern is ethylenethiourea (ETU), an industrial contaminant and a breakdown product of mancozeb and other EBDC pesticides. It has potential to cause goiter, a condition in which the thyroid gland is enlarged and has produced birth defects and cancer in experimental animals. ETU has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by the EPA. Mancozeb has been shown to have significant negative effects on beneficial root fungi - totally preventing spore germination at levels far below recommended dosage levels.

References

External links

* {{Monoamine neurotoxins Aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors Dithiocarbamates Fungicides Monoaminergic neurotoxins

Mechanism

Toxicology

See also

References

External links