preview

Chlorpyrifos Research Paper

Satisfactory Essays

Then chlorpyrifos was eliminated from the pesticides used in the Dietzel 4 homes. Even though it is not used in household pesticides, it is a common chemical in pesticides for the agricultural business not only in the United States, but throughout almost 100 countries and there are more than 50 different types of crops sprayed with chlorpyrifos, including the crops such as corn and soybeans in the Midwest to a variety of fruit in California (D’Angelo). Chlorpyrifos is used in pesticides to spray crops to control a wide variety of insects. It has a peculiar smell, however the agricultural businesses reap its benefits because it has been an effective method to get rid of harmful bugs (Philpott). In the United States, “roughly 6 million pounds of chlorpyrifos were used to control insects on a variety of crops in 2012, the latest year for which U.S. Geological Survey data was available,” (Fatka). It became a matter of concern recently because of the research results and evaluations of what the pesticide …show more content…

Chlorpyrifos is an insect killer and classified as an organophosphate, “that works by interrupting the electrochemical processes that nerves use to communicate with muscles and other nerves,” and it is also, “endocrine disruptor,” which means, “it can cause adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects,” according to the National Institute of Health (Philpott). The chemical chlorpyrifos has been studied in many research labs. Duke University Medical Center investigated the impact of this chemical on brain growth and development by conducting lab experiments with rats and exposing the rats to the chemical, chlorpyrifos, then observing their reactions (Rabin). Dr. Slotkin, a scientist at Duke University, commented, “Even exquisitely low doses, this compound chlorpyrifos would stop cells from dividing and push them instead into programmed cell death,” and “there

Get Access