Discuss The Health Effects That Pesticide Exposure Caused In Humans

Neonicotinoid pesticides are a group of chemicals widely used on farm crops, plants, and trees (1). The concern behind these pesticides is the harmful impact on pollinating insects such as honey bees and bumble bees (1). Neonicotinoids are sprayed onto the plant where they are absorbed by the plant and are transported to all parts of the plant including the pollen (see figure 1) (1). Bees then ingest the pesticide via the pollen; specifically, this is the point where the central nervous system of the bees becomes compromised. A large number of deaths in bees is being used as an argument against the use of neonicotinoids (1).

Over the past years, the bee population has decreased significantly. The primary suspect for the troubles that the bees are facing is Neonicotinoids, also known as neonics, used on agriculture. They are a new type of pesticide, which were created in order to prevent harm to human health, but still has major consequences for bees. The effects of the neonics are similar to nicotine, which lessens their motor skills. Also, the pesticides attach to the receptors of neurotransmitters in their central nervous system. This can cause an block in the receptors, often causing paralysis or in extreme cases death. These horrible pesticides also cause a significant decrease in olfactory memory at below median amount or a significant impairment of learning performance (Aliouane, 2009). Therefore, banning pesticides is very important to the wellbeing of the bees. In addition, a large amount of our food is produced by bees and it they were to be gone, a vast variety of food would disappear causing lots of negative effects. Bees are essential to our everyday food supply, and therefore, neonicotinoids should be

Even if an agricultural worker isn't seriously affected by the effects pesticide losses from hospitalized people, treatment, lost work and fatalities amasses to a total of $1.2 billion annually (Pimentel). Additionally, the development of Parkinson's and people with higher concentrations of pesticides had strong links connecting each other. These links would show that the toxic pesticides would result in a neurodegenerative disease, such Parkinson's (Kamel). Although considered a rare case, the increase in the disease's prevalence would add to the $25 billion that the disease already costs the United States in treatment, social security payments and lost income from inability to work ("Statistics on

Recent studies, most notably Gbaye et al. (2011, 2012), have investigated the sensitivity of bean beetles in the genus Callosobruchus to organophosphate insecticides (OPs). Economically this is important work given that these beetles are pests that threaten agricultural yields of legumes. OPs work by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinerase (AChE) in the beetles. Without this enzyme, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine can't be broken down and its overflow leads to the eventual death of the beetle. Results obtained by

On the contrary, many may argue that even though organic food at times possess such threats they do not come close to comparing to the threats possessed by chemically treated foods. Researchers such as Joanna Jurewicz, believe that children being exposed to pesticides at any time during foetal life will have some type of health effect. She addressed that each year “almost 50,000 children are poisoned annually by exposure to pesticides” (Jurewicz 71), while emphasizing that the most common health effects are on foetus and young children. She proposed that all acute exposures to pesticides cause “skin irritation, lesions in the respiratory tract, and severe toxic neurologic effects”, in long exposure she blames their constant motive to put everything in their mouth and their immature detoxification systems with how they are the easy target for pesticides and chemical

Karr and Council of Environmental Health. “Pesticide Exposure in Children.” Pediatrics 130.6 (2006): e1765-e1788. Web. 9 Oct 2015. . This article introduces types of pesticides that are exposed and harmful to children. Different examples of pesticides are classified and explained for its common use. Children are exposed to pesticides through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. However, the most common and unintentional way to be exposed to pesticides is through ingestion in the food we eat. The article shows statistical values on the level of pesticides in fruits, vegetables, and grain products. The authors also point out that water can be contaminated with pesticides which is harmful for children. Clinical signs and symptoms of toxicity to pesticides is also addressed in the article. I will use this article to argue that levels of pesticides in non organic food is threatening to

Pesticides: What are they? Pesticides are chemicals that are used to destroy pests. In the agricultural industry, pesticides are classified into two categories, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic. A carcinogenic pesticide is a substance or agent producing or inciting cancer. Conversely, a non-carcinogenic pesticide is substance that does not produce or incite cancer. Most agricultural pesticides were registered in the 1950's, with no standard regulations. The most considerable standard prior to the amendments of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) was, if a revocation of a pesticide occurred, would it have an impact on the prices or availability of food to the consumer? Consumer concerns with the usage of pesticides in the

Mechanism of action of organophosphorus compounds used in pesticides and nerve agents is the same however, the compounds in pesticides are developed to be more specific on insects than warm-blooded organisms, such compound are thio forms of OP , while nerve agents contain oxo form of Op. In addition OP, acetylcholine esterase inhibitors used in insecticides degrades and hydrolysis rapidly once comes in contact to sunlight, air and soil. However, in case of prolong and or repeated exposure to the Ops insecticides can be very toxic and may cause the same result as acute exposure.

Eighty percent of U.S. households use pesticides more than once per year in and around their homes. Many of the pesticides applied indoors are semivolatile. Once applied, semivolatile pesticides can vaporize from treated surfaces and can distribute in and on targeted and nontargeted surfaces and objects (613). This is of specific concern because most Americans including children can spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors where pesticides have been applied. Given Children’s inherent biological vulnerabilities and characteristic behaviors, which are different from those of adults, children can be particularly susceptible to the effects of pesticides

Among the leading chemicals used extensively for agricultural pest control throughout the world are organophosphate (OP) pesticides. Diazinon belongs to the organophosphorus class of pesti-cides, serving as an insecticide and acaricide. It is widely used, largely because of its greater sta-bility, persistence and less toxicity than other OP pesticides to cause delayed neuropathies in adults (Sarabia et al.,

The mode of action of organophosphorus insecticides, such as chlorpyrifos, is well known and has been characterized in mammals (Testai et al., 2010) and in aquatic organisms, particularly fish (Giesy et al., 1999). Chlorpyrifos inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in synaptic junctions of the nervous system, resulting, acetylcholine assemble in the synapse causes repeated and uncontrolled stimulation of the post-synaptic axon. Interruption of the nervous system that results is the secondary effect that results in the death of the animal. The amino acid sequence of acetylcholinesterase is highly conserved in animals, with the result that chlorpyrifos is toxic to most groups of animals, although differences in toxicokinetics (adsorption,

Over 318,000 acres of principal crops was planted and harvested in the United States in 2015. (Shaping our Food, 176) Agriculture has made a large contribution to the quality of American life. Agriculture has become not only an industry, it is the foundation of civilization. The success of agriculture in the United States can be attributed to the genetic and chemical changes created by pesticides and herbicides. While pesticides and herbicides allow for more crop production, the effect they have on the environment is detrimental. To fully comprehend the magnitude that impacts the world, the biology of herbicides must be understood.

The reason why the pesticide plant was created was for the “Green Revolution” in the 1960’s. Traditional farming methods in India were changing to high yield seed varieties which needed more fertilizers and pesticides (Eckerman, 2005), to meet the increasing food demand. Pesticide production was originally sourced in Europe, however “because of new knowledge and protests from environmental activists, it became restricted.” (Eckerman, 2005, pg. 24). Consequently, pesticide production was outsourced to India because of fewer regulations and cheaper labor (Kovel, 2002). The pesticide that the Bhopal plants created was Carbaryl, and this pesticide serves as a neurotoxin that controls pests such as moths, beetles, ants, mosquitoes, ticks and cockroaches (National Pesticide Information Center, 2003). The chemicals inside the pesticide are a “Cholinesterase Inhibitor, which inhibits the cholinesterase enzyme from degrading acetylcholin, eventually leading to interference in the host 's nervous system” (Gilbert, 2014, ¶ 3).

Farm growing seafood helps give marine ecosystems a chance to rebuild where there has been over fishing

Contaminated groundwater that contains harmful chemicals as the result of agricultural pesticides and human waste has long been known to negatively affect the environment. However the culminating physiological effects of these chemicals may trigger a cascade of changes within the Alligator mississippiensis (American Alligator) population, ultimately causing an ecological shift that is contrary to the natural course of evolution. Chemicals called endocrine disruptors can affect bodily functions in a variety of ways. By altering the body’s hormonal balance on a chemical level, endocrine disruptors can result in morphological changes to hormone-dependent organs, which could in turn significantly disrupt the animal’s growth,