A pale yellow liquid used as an insecticide and veterinary anthelmintic.
An organophosphorus compound; alternative name: 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate; chemical formula: (CH3O)2PO2CHCCl2.
It is known commercially to treat salmon suffering from infestation with sea lice by the use of the insecticide dichlorvos....
Ministers were advised last July to recall dozens of household insecticides containing the chemical dichlorvos, because of new evidence that it could cause cancer.
Experiments in greenhouses and food storage areas show that 90 percent of the applied dichlorvos disappeared in three to six hours.
Origin
Mid 20th century: from elements of the systematic name (see above).