C+-+harmful+pesticides

Pesticides are chemical substances used to destroy or control pests. This includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc. One group of insecticide is organophospate and this is responsible for most pesticide poisonings. This affects the nervous system by disrupting the enzyme that controls acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter. Carbamate insecticides are less toxic to humans because the effects on the enzymes are reversible. The last group of pesticides is organochlorines. This can accumulate in the system for a long period of time. In fact the most well known organochlorine, DDT is responsible for the dramatic decrease of golden eagles. Ideally pesticides break down into harmless matter after treating the pests. There are 3 types of degradation that occur in soils. First is biological breakdown by organisms like worms. The 2nd is chemical breakdown by utilizing reactions like hydrolysis and oxidation. The 3rd is photochemical breakdown by ultraviolet or visible light. Pesticides have different toxicity levels and are categorized into 2 sections. Acute toxicity is how much harm it causes with a single exposure. Chronic toxicity is how much harm it causes with repeated exposure. Poisoning occurs through inhalation, dermal, or ingestion. The symptoms of the poisonings include nausea, headaches, or paralysis. Ingestion is not actually ingesting the pesticide itself but consuming the residue left on the product. According to the agricultural health study, farmers who used pesticides experience more headaches, insomnia, and fatigue. This cannot be washed away by as most pesticides are insoluble in water and can penetrate through the product even when the skin is removed. Some fruits like apples have a coating of wax on them, further trapping the pesticides. Most foods will have a little bit of pesticide residue which is harmless. However this can accumulate and cause long term damage. Some pesticides contain suspected carcinogens which can lead to cancer. Parkinson’s disease and reproduction effects are also proven. This is one of the reasons why organic produce is more expensive. There are no pesticides used and is more vulnerable to be consumed by animals, therefore yields less crops. But regardless organic farming increased from 15-25% annually from 1998 as people become more aware of the benefits of organic produce. Cinnamaldehyde is used as a pesticide because it’s not synthetic and has no harmful effects. In fact it’s beneficial to human health because studies show it can prevents cancer. Cinnamon oil, found in cinnamaldehyde is detrimental to the mosquito larvae. Another bonus is that cinnamaldehyde belongs to the aldehyde group, which oxidizes easily and breaks down into other molecules, thus being eco friendly. Scientists predict that the oil might affect adult mosquitoes too but further tests are needed to conclude this. *Hydrolysis: Chemical reaction where molecules of water is split into Hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions.
 * Q: Why are pesticides harmful to the human health?**
 * What Are Pesticides? **
 * How are pesticides disposed of? **
 * How is the toxicity level determined? **
 * How does pesticide poisoning occur? What are the long term effects? **
 * Interesting Fact **