TOXIC EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES
There are thousands of pesticides out there and they’re classified as herbicides, fungicides or insecticides. Roundup is one of the most commonly used pesticides in the world. We’re exposed to pesticides through the food we eat and through the environment. Pesticides are spread through air, water, soil, wildlife and waste products. Many pesticides take a long time to breakdown and are called Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). They can have half-life of anywhere from a few days to many years. DDT is a pesticide that was once widely used. DDT is banned for the past 40 years but it is still found in food and accumulated in 99% of the bodies of Americans.
What other environmental implications of pesticide use are?
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DDT was widely used after World War 2 for pest control. It is a potent neurotoxin; therefore it damages the nervous system. It can cause impaired motor function and impaired cognition. It has also been linked to numerous other conditions such as infertility and cancer. What are the health effects of pesticides on humans? Pesticides have been linked to cancers, developmental and learning disabilities in children, birth defects, endocrine disruption, neurological conditions and respiratory problems. Pesticides cause cancer by altering DNA synthesis and this results in genetic mutations. Pesticides have been linked to numerous types of cancers. Childrens are the most susceptible to pesticides due to the rapidly dividing DNA in their immature immune system. They can cause developmental delays and affect cognitive behavioral and motor functioning in children. Pesticides have been linked to low IQ, ADHD and autism in kids. Babies exposed to pesticides in uterus maybe born with deformities such as missing limbs and other malformations. Pesticides interfere with hormone metabolism and are potent endocrine disruptor. They can affect thyroid and the