Understanding the degradation of carbofuran in agricultural area: a review of fate, metabolites, and toxicity

Nurul Syuhada Baharudin, . and Harlina Ahmad, . and Md Sohrab Hossain, . (2024) Understanding the degradation of carbofuran in agricultural area: a review of fate, metabolites, and toxicity. Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (Malaysia), 32 (1). pp. 285-322. ISSN 2231-8526

Pesticides are commonly applied in agriculture to manage pests, parasites, weeds, and other crop diseases to maximise product output value and minimise or reduce yield losses. Pesticides are widely and indiscriminately used in crop production in most countries. Carbofuran is a highly toxic insecticide commonly used to protect crops in agricultural areas. Exposure to carbofuran can cause harmful effects on both the ecological environment and human health, particularly on non-target species such as birds and aquatic organisms. Carbofuran continues to be used, although it has been banned in some countries. This review paper highlights carbofuran usage, its residue, toxicity, and mechanisms of degradation pathways in water, soil, and food, especially in agriculture. It has been shown that hydrolysis, photolysis, and microbial degradation are the main pathways for carbofuran degradation. Carbofuran phenol is significantly less toxic than all photo-metabolites, while 3-ketocarbofuran and 3-hydroxycarbofuran are practically as harmful as the parent compound. Hence, more study is needed on degradation pathways that may thoroughly minimise the toxicity of this deadly pesticide.

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Abstract

Pesticides are commonly applied in agriculture to manage pests, parasites, weeds, and other crop diseases to maximise product output value and minimise or reduce yield losses. Pesticides are widely and indiscriminately used in crop production in most countries. Carbofuran is a highly toxic insecticide commonly used to protect crops in agricultural areas. Exposure to carbofuran can cause harmful effects on both the ecological environment and human health, particularly on non-target species such as birds and aquatic organisms. Carbofuran continues to be used, although it has been banned in some countries. This review paper highlights carbofuran usage, its residue, toxicity, and mechanisms of degradation pathways in water, soil, and food, especially in agriculture. It has been shown that hydrolysis, photolysis, and microbial degradation are the main pathways for carbofuran degradation. Carbofuran phenol is significantly less toxic than all photo-metabolites, while 3-ketocarbofuran and 3-hydroxycarbofuran are practically as harmful as the parent compound. Hence, more study is needed on degradation pathways that may thoroughly minimise the toxicity of this deadly pesticide.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	pesticides
AGROVOC Term:	environmental impact
AGROVOC Term:	human health
AGROVOC Term:	toxicity
AGROVOC Term:	literature reviews
AGROVOC Term:	environmental impact assessment
AGROVOC Term:	metabolites
AGROVOC Term:	sustainable agriculture
Geographical Term:	Malaysia
Depositing User:	Ms. Azariah Hashim
Date Deposited:	24 Nov 2025 02:55
Last Modified:	03 Feb 2026 05:12
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/2769

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