Mancozeb

Mancozeb is a broad-spectrum fungicide that is employed to control over 400 different fungal pathogens. It belongs to the family of the Ethylene Bis Dithio Carbamtes (EBDC) fungicides. It has been the bestseller among all the EBDC agrochemicals. It is banned in the European Union since 2021. It is poorly absorbed and rapidly metabolized to many metabolites named the EBDC complex, with the end point ethylene thiourea, which is the major toxic of concern. Toxic effects of mancozeb include altered thyroid function, reproductive toxicity, and neurotoxicity. The role of Mn+2 ion from EBDC in neurotoxicity was proved. Mancozeb and metabolites do not accumulate in tissues and pose a threat to birds and small mammals upon chronic exposure as well as to aquatic organisms. Large amounts of ETU are generated when food containing EBDC fungicides such as Mancozeb is cooked. It has also been shown to be a cancer-causing agent in laboratory animals after chronic exposure.