To make a basic oil spray insecticide, mix one cup of vegetable oil with one tablespoon of soap (cover and shake thoroughly), and then when ready to apply, add two teaspoons of the oil spray mix with one quart of water, shake thoroughly, and spray directly on the surfaces of the plants which are being affected by the …

The formamidines are a structurally novel group of pesticides of growing importance in the control of mites, cattle ticks and certain orders of insects which have become resistant to conventional acaricides and insecticides. Their mode of action is complex with dose-dependent lethal and subletahal effects.

The pesticide’s solubility determines how easy it is for that pesticide to dissolve in water. When the particles become too heavy to hold in a cloud, rain or snow falls to the earth, depositing the water particles back down to the ground where it will eventually evaporate once more.

When pesticides are found in water supplies, they normally are not present in high enough concentrations to cause acute health effects such as chemical burns, nausea, or convulsions. Acute effects are those which show up soon after exposure and are likely to be relatively severe.

Pesticides can reach water-bearing aquifers below ground from applications onto crop fields, seepage of contaminated surface water, accidental spills and leaks, improper disposal, and even through injection waste material into wells.

Pesticides can cause short-term adverse health effects, called acute effects, as well as chronic adverse effects that can occur months or years after exposure. Examples of acute health effects include stinging eyes, rashes, blisters, blindness, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea and death.

Screening Method for Pesticides Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) provide a convenient screening method for measuring single or closely-related pesticide residues in water. We carry out screening tests at Cornell using commercial ELISA kits which are available for a variety of pesticide active ingredients.