PesticidesPesticides

Pesticides -Pros and ConsPesticides -Pros and Cons Kill unwanted pests that Kill unwanted pests that

carry disease (rats, carry disease (rats, mosquitoes, Tse-Tse flies)mosquitoes, Tse-Tse flies)

Increase food suppliesIncrease food supplies More food means food is More food means food is

less expensiveless expensive Effective and fast-actingEffective and fast-acting Newer pesticides are safer, Newer pesticides are safer,

more specific more specific Reduces labor costs on Reduces labor costs on

farmsfarms Food looks betterFood looks better Agriculture is more Agriculture is more

profitableprofitable

Accumulate in food chainAccumulate in food chain Pests develop resistance – Pests develop resistance –

500 species so far500 species so far Resistance creates Resistance creates

pesticide treadmillpesticide treadmill Estimates are $5-10 in Estimates are $5-10 in

damage done for $1 spent damage done for $1 spent on pesticideon pesticide

Pesticide runoffPesticide runoff Destroy bees - $200 millionDestroy bees - $200 million Threaten endangered Threaten endangered

speciesspecies Affect egg shell of birdsAffect egg shell of birds 5% actually reach pest5% actually reach pest ~20,000 human ~20,000 human

deaths/yeardeaths/year

Types of PesticidesTypes of Pesticides BiologicalBiological – Ladybugs, parasitic wasps, – Ladybugs, parasitic wasps,

etc.etc. CarbamatesCarbamates effect nervous system of effect nervous system of

pests more water soluble than pests more water soluble than chlorinated hydrocarbonschlorinated hydrocarbons– Aldicarb, aminocarb, carbaryl Aldicarb, aminocarb, carbaryl

(Sevin), carbofuran, Mirex(Sevin), carbofuran, Mirex Chlorinated Hydrocarbons Chlorinated Hydrocarbons affect affect

nervous system –nervous system –– Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT, dieldrin,

kepone and toxaphenekepone and toxaphene

FumigantsFumigants are used to sterilize are used to sterilize soil and prevent grain soil and prevent grain infestationinfestation

Organophosphates – extremely Organophosphates – extremely toxic, rapidly absorbed, low toxic, rapidly absorbed, low persistencepersistence– Malathion, parathionMalathion, parathion

Types of PesticidesTypes of Pesticides InorganicInorganic – arsenic, copper, lead, – arsenic, copper, lead,

mercurymercury– Highly toxic and bioaccumulation Highly toxic and bioaccumulation

Organic or natural Organic or natural – derived from – derived from plants such as tobacco and plants such as tobacco and chrysanthemumchrysanthemum

Chlorinated HydrocarbonsChlorinated Hydrocarbons(organochlorines)(organochlorines)

DDT, aldrin, dieldrine, chlordane and DDT, aldrin, dieldrine, chlordane and toxaphenetoxaphene

Affect the nervous system of pestAffect the nervous system of pest Remain in ecosystem 15+ yearsRemain in ecosystem 15+ years Highly persistent, fat soluble, and Highly persistent, fat soluble, and

subject to biomagnificationsubject to biomagnification Nearly all have been bannedNearly all have been banned

CarbamatesCarbamates

Are used as insecticides, herbicides and Are used as insecticides, herbicides and fungicidesfungicides

effect nervous system of pestseffect nervous system of pests More water soluble than chlorinated More water soluble than chlorinated

hydrocarbons – which means greater hydrocarbons – which means greater risks of dissolving in surface water or risks of dissolving in surface water or percolating into groundwaterpercolating into groundwater

100 grams has the same effect as 100 grams has the same effect as 2,000 grams chlorinated hydrocarbons2,000 grams chlorinated hydrocarbons

Examples: Aldicarb(Temik), aminocarb, Examples: Aldicarb(Temik), aminocarb, carbaryl (Sevin), carbofuran, Mirexcarbaryl (Sevin), carbofuran, Mirex

AldicarbAldicarb

Potato growers on eastern Long Island used Potato growers on eastern Long Island used Aldicarb from 1975 – 1979 to control the Aldicarb from 1975 – 1979 to control the Colorado potato beetle and the golden Colorado potato beetle and the golden nematode. In 1979, Aldicarb residues were nematode. In 1979, Aldicarb residues were detected in well water. Subsequent testing detected in well water. Subsequent testing found more than 2,000 wells with very high found more than 2,000 wells with very high concentrations. It was banned in New York.concentrations. It was banned in New York.

In 1984 areas with deep wells were found to have In 1984 areas with deep wells were found to have increased levels from 1979 levels. 1400 wells increased levels from 1979 levels. 1400 wells are still contaminated above state guidelines.are still contaminated above state guidelines.

Aldicard has been found in groundwater in 26 Aldicard has been found in groundwater in 26 other states.other states.

FumigantsFumigantsGaseous pesticides use to Gaseous pesticides use to

sterilize soil and prevent sterilize soil and prevent pest infestation of stored pest infestation of stored grains.grains.

Used on grain weevils, Used on grain weevils, beetles and moth beetles and moth catepillars.catepillars.

Comparable to “mustard Comparable to “mustard gases” used in WWII.gases” used in WWII.

Phosphine is the most Phosphine is the most popular today – others popular today – others are carbon tetrachloride are carbon tetrachloride and methyl bromideand methyl bromideMethyl Bromide was banned in

2005 due to it’s damage to the ozone layer.

InorganicInorganic

Broad-based pesticides.Broad-based pesticides.

Includes arsenic, copper, lead, mercury.Includes arsenic, copper, lead, mercury.

Highly toxic and accumulates in the Highly toxic and accumulates in the environment.environment.

Organic or Natural PesticidesOrganic or Natural PesticidesNatural poisons derived from Natural poisons derived from

plants such as tobacco or plants such as tobacco or chrysanthemum.chrysanthemum.

NeemNeem Ingredients:Ingredients: Contains 2 ingredients, azadirachtin Contains 2 ingredients, azadirachtin

(AZA0 and liminoids, both from the seed kernels of the (AZA0 and liminoids, both from the seed kernels of the neem tree fruit. neem tree fruit.

Application:Application: Sprayed onto plant leaves. Sprayed onto plant leaves. How It Works:How It Works: Upsets the insects hormonal system Upsets the insects hormonal system

and prevents it from developing to its mature stage. and prevents it from developing to its mature stage. Most effective on immature insects and species that Most effective on immature insects and species that undergo complete metamorphosis. undergo complete metamorphosis.

Pros:Pros: Non-toxic to humans Non-toxic to humans Cons:Cons: Washes away in rain. Slow acting. Breaks down Washes away in rain. Slow acting. Breaks down

in sunlight Indiscriminate pesticide in sunlight Indiscriminate pesticide Precautions:Precautions: Keep pets from treated leaves until Keep pets from treated leaves until

they dry. they dry.

Organic PesticidesOrganic PesticidesPyrethrinsPyrethrins Ingredients:Ingredients: Derived from Derived from Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum

cinerariifoliumcinerariifolium Application:Application: Generally found in powder form Generally found in powder form

and dusted on leaves. and dusted on leaves. How It Works:How It Works: Poisons the insect, causing a Poisons the insect, causing a

quick death quick death Pros:Pros: Quick acting. Low toxicity to animals. Quick acting. Low toxicity to animals.

Degrades within a day. Degrades within a day. Cons:Cons: Broad spectrum insecticide. Kills any Broad spectrum insecticide. Kills any

insect. Very toxic to honeybees insect. Very toxic to honeybees Precautions:Precautions: Use cautiously, only when you Use cautiously, only when you

have a major problem with hard-to-kill insects. have a major problem with hard-to-kill insects.

Organic or Natural PesticidesOrganic or Natural PesticidesRotenoneRotenone Ingredients:Ingredients: Derived from the roots of tropical Derived from the roots of tropical

legumes (derris plant)legumes (derris plant) Application:Application: Dust onto plant – originally used Dust onto plant – originally used

to kill fish. Kills potato beetles and cabbage to kill fish. Kills potato beetles and cabbage worms. Used on chickens to kill mitesworms. Used on chickens to kill mites

How It Works:How It Works: Inhibits a cellular process, Inhibits a cellular process, depriving insects of oxygen in their tissue cells. depriving insects of oxygen in their tissue cells.

Pros:Pros: Low residual effect. Breaks down quickly Low residual effect. Breaks down quickly in sunlight. in sunlight.

Cons:Cons: Broad spectrum pesticide Broad spectrum pesticide Precautions:Precautions: Apply in the evening, when bees Apply in the evening, when bees

are less active. are less active.

OrganophosphatesOrganophosphates

Malathion and ParthionMalathion and Parthion Extremely toxic but only remains in Extremely toxic but only remains in

the environment for a brief amount the environment for a brief amount of time.of time.

Effects the central nervous system Effects the central nervous system by interfering with the enzyme by interfering with the enzyme cholinesterase.cholinesterase.

Biological Pest ControlBiological Pest Control

A knowledgeable gardener knows that each of those cocoons will hatch into a beneficial parasitic wasp - an organic control for more than just horn worms.

Major Kinds of HerbicidesMajor Kinds of Herbicides

Selective HerbicidesSelective Herbicides– Kill only certain types of plantsKill only certain types of plants– Can be classified to the type of plant Can be classified to the type of plant

they killthey killBroad-leaf herbicidesBroad-leaf herbicidesGrass herbicidesGrass herbicides

– Ex: 2,4-DEx: 2,4-DDichlorophenoxyacetic acidDichlorophenoxyacetic acidcommon systemic pesticide / herbicide used common systemic pesticide / herbicide used

in the control of broadleaf weedsin the control of broadleaf weeds

Risk of Pesticides to Human Risk of Pesticides to Human HealthHealth

Short-term Effects of PesticidesShort-term Effects of Pesticides– Handling food with pesticide residueHandling food with pesticide residue• Mild case: Mild case:

nausea, nausea, vomiting, vomiting, headachesheadaches

• Severe case: Severe case: damage to damage to nervous nervous system, system,

Risk of Pesticides to Human HealthRisk of Pesticides to Human Health

Long-term Effects of PesticidesLong-term Effects of Pesticides– Cancer- lymphomaCancer- lymphoma– Breast cancerBreast cancer– SterilitySterility– MiscarriageMiscarriage– Birth defectsBirth defects– Decreases body’s ability to fight infectionDecreases body’s ability to fight infection– Potential connection to Parkinson’s Potential connection to Parkinson’s

diseasedisease

Laws Controlling Pesticide UseLaws Controlling Pesticide Use Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act

(1938)(1938) Pesticide Chemicals Amendment Pesticide Chemicals Amendment

(1954)(1954) Delaney Clause (1958) Delaney Clause (1958) (a zero cancer risk (a zero cancer risk

standard) standard)

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (1947) Rodenticide Act (1947) federal control of federal control of pesticide distribution, sale, and usepesticide distribution, sale, and use

Food Quality Protection Act (1996)Food Quality Protection Act (1996)

Adapted from power point by Adapted from power point by Ms. MarosyMs. Marosy