DEF is a cholinesterase-inhibiting organophosphorus pesticide
compound used as a cotton defoliant that was registered
in 1960.DEF is a colorless to pale-yellow transparent liquid
with a skunk-like odor.It is completely miscible with
n-hexane, dichloromethane, toluene, and 2-propanol and has
an octanol–water partition coefficient of 3.31×105 at 25°C.
DEF toxicity is primarily attributed to inhibition of various
esterases, including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase
(BuChE), neuropathic target esterase (NTE),
and carboxylesterase, resulting in increased accumulation of
endogenous acetylcholine (ACh) in cholinergic nerve terminals
and related effector organs.
