An article by Gianessi (2013) discusses the use of herbicide in crop production in the world. According to the report, there was a growth of 39% in herbicides market as from 2002-2011. Use of herbicides is more in developed countries where people prefer white-collar jobs and statistics shown in the 70s they were consuming 90% of herbicides produced in the world. Use of herbicides has also been intensified by the introduction of agri-business activities like greenhouses and genetically modified plants. It is projected by 2025; herbicide consumption will increase to 150 000 million pounds (Pesticide Action Network Europe, 2017). This paper focuses on the effects of Atrazine herbicide citing reasons why its use should be banned.
Atrazine (Chemical formula: C8H14ClN8) is a selective herbicide produced to destroy weed that grows in tilled and areas managed for other uses. Some of the major herbicides used with AtrazineInclude, Ametryn, Atrazine, Hexazinone, Metamitron, Metribuzin, Prometon, Prometryn, Simazine Terbuthylazine, Terbutryn among many others. As a consumer, it is our responsibility to read labels to know the active ingredient of herbicide you buy. Atrazine is the active compound, and it has a solubility of 33mg/L and a half-life of 60 - 100 DAYS. All products containing Atrazine must have e EPA groundwater label (Toxicology Data Network, 2018)
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Atrazine mode of action in weed is by inhibiting photosynthesis. The active compound is absorbed through roots or leaves into plant tissue. The herbicide is usually applied before weeds emerge or through a foliar spray. The reason Atrazine became more widely used is because of its ability to select and destroy leaving cultivated crops. US EPA registered Atrazine as a pesticide in 1958. By 1990 it had been discovered that it has a negative impact through contamination of groundwater and mitigation label was added. Also, it was not to be used for lawn care, conifer, and turf, and thus its use was restricted in some areas. Federal surface water in 1992 added a label to the brand, and it was removed as non-crop use by-products labels (Toxicology Data Network, 2018)
In relation to the environment the following properties are crucial; Melting point 175–177 °C, Density 1.187 g/cm3 at 20 °C, Water solubility 30 mg/l at 20 °C, Vapor pressure 40 × 10−6 Pa at 20 °C, and Log octanol-water partition coefficient 2.3. The physical factors have a significance in its contamination rate to the environment. 31st January 2003 EPA established Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision with an aim to asses if the use of Atrazine pause an alarming danger to the population and thus need to have reregistration effected. IRED in 2006 concluded it is comprehensive and inclusive research and find there was a need for the compound to be regulated since it has harmful effects if it accumulates in the environment (New York State of Opportuninty Department of Environmental Conservation , 2015).
Based on Research findings for over twenty years on Atrazine, I support Atrazine use in our country to be banned. The adverse effects on human health are worth this approach. My review on the report published by TOXNET, which is a Toxicology Network shows there are many health problems associated with Atrazine. Some mild effects include; skin sensitization, irritation of skin and eyes, general weakness, dermatitis, and salivation can occur if a person is overexposed to the ingredient. Other significant impacts include; incoordination, ovarian tumors, cancer, preterm birth, and low semen count and liver injury. Research that was conducted in 58 California counties showed there was a correlation between the use of Atrazine and some fatal form of cancer like soft-tissue sarcoma, prostate cancer, leukemia, brain cancer, and testicular cancer. Gastroschisis among newborns in a radius of 25Km to Atrazine use zone was high based on research done in Washington State (Toxicology Data Network, 2018)
USEPA findings on impacts of Atrazine on mammals showed there it caused mammary tumors, affects neuroendocrine, and cause early onset of the reproductive stage in some species like female Sprague-Dawley. Altering biological processes is harmful to the self-balancing ecosystem. Research on mammals have however disapproved Atrazine can cancer in Human since it was discovered the pathway it causes cancer are non-DNA reactive. However, it was discovered it induced synthesis of unscheduled DNA in some microorganisms. Exposure to the chemical over a long period to animals would cause retardation and has the capacity to cause death if it accumulates. Consumption of 250 mg/kg atrazine by sheep and cattle caused death. It was also observed exposure caused nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in mammals (Toxicology Data Network, 2018)
On ecology, it causes contamination of groundwater, which is later consumed by man, animals, and aquatic organisms. Contamination of water bodies can contribute to the accumulation of the chemical in the ecosystem. On soil, it alters chemical properties of soil which affect biological cycles like recycling of nutrients through microbes (Toxicology Data Network, 2018)
References
New York State of Opportuninty Department of Environmental Conservation . (2015). Active Ingredient Data Package: Atrazine . Retrieved from New York State of Opportuninty : https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/materials_minerals_pdf/atrazinedata.pdf
Pesticide Action Network Europe. (2017). Alternatives to herbicide use in weed management – The case of glyphosate . Retrieved from PAN- Europe: https://www.pan-europe.info/sites/pan-europe.info/files/Report_Alternatives%20to%20Glyphosate_July_2018.pdf
Toxicology Data Network. (2018, January 18). Atrazine . Retrieved from Toxicology Data Network: https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+413
