Analytical and toxicological aspects of dithiocarbamates: an overview of the last 10 years

Abstract

Compilation studies related to toxicological aspects and also biological monitoring and analysis methods for specific fungicides and, mainly, those that belong to the class of the dithiocarbamates (DTCs) have not been carried out at least in the last ten years. DTCs – dimethyldithiocarbamates, ethylenebisditiocarbamates, propylenebisditiocarbamates – are organosulfur compounds that form complexes due to the presence of different chemical elements, which bind strongly and inhibit enzymes that are essential to the functioning of the organism, causing a serious proven adverse effect on biological systems, such as alteration of thyroid hormones, teratogenesis and neurotoxicity. It is still evident, as shown by world data, that the growing consumption of fungicides has increasingly exposed the population in general and, in particular, workers who deal with these substances. There is a scarcity of studies in the literature discussing the toxicological and analytical aspects that are important for understanding the real effects of DTCs and monitoring human exposure to them. Therefore, the aim of this work was to expose, in a comprehensive way and through a narrative review, gaps in research related to the fungicides of the DTCs class, their metabolites, as well as the toxicological and analytical aspects involved. The review is divided into two parts: (1) Toxicological aspects, including toxicokinetics, toxicodynamics and toxidromes; and (2) Analytical Toxicology, which comprises biomarkers, sample preparation and identification/quantification methods.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Fungicides
• toxicology
• analytical methods
• biological monitoring

Acknowledgments

This paper is part of the PhD research conducted by the first author, and it was funded by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq (Grant # 303785/2019-5). This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This paper is part of the PhD research conducted by the first author, and it was funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development – CNPq [Grant # 303785/2019-5].