Pesticides: A Closer Look

Author: Hope Elena Sardella

October 29, 2018

The continued use of pesticides has severely impacted the earth. A pesticide is a toxic human-made chemical that serves to eradicate and kill living organisms. Early applications of pesticides in the U.S. can be dated back to the 1700s, around the time of the industrial revolution. During the industrial revolution, there was a rapid increase in mechanical technology affecting every part of human life, including the mass introduction of pesticides and fertilizers for agriculture (Withgott & Laposata, 2014, p. 3). The same ecosystems people relied on for food, goods, and natural resources would soon be under threat due to the use of pesticides, which were, ironically, initially created to preserve those human assets.

This research was designed to examine the toxin known as organophosphates, more commonly known as pesticides. The first part of this academic inquiry of pesticides will commence with an explanation of how a pesticide is not only created (in chemical and physical structure), but how the chemical travels through the earth’s ecosystems and the environment. Knowing how a pesticide enters into an ecosystem is crucial for mitigating ecological problems caused by pesticide use. Secondly, the author will demonstrate the known effects of pesticide use on plants, soil, animal life, and humans. Equally important is the ecological and economic result that comes from using pesticides. Lastly, the author will present viable solutions to the effects of pesticides.

Devlin, D., Barden, C., Barnes, P., Smeda, R., Bernards, M., Franti, T., . . . Phillips, T. (2008).
Pesticide Management for Water Quality Protection in the Midwest. The Heartland Regional Water Coordination Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF2822.pdf

In the publication Pesticide Management for Water Quality Protection in the Midwest (Devlin et al., 2008), the author analyzes the functions and routes of travel of pesticides in the groundwater and surface water networks. Fundamental concepts within the publication include a complete description of what a pesticide is, an examination of the effects on the environment due to pesticide exposure, and the identification of the means of transit for pesticides. Pesticides are human-made chemicals that have positive and negative results on ecosystems, including both living and non-living organisms. Devlin et al. (2008) define the use of pesticides to include the “control of weeds, disease, and insect pests of plants in agricultural, urban, and natural setting” (p. 3). Some positive examples of pesticide use are better food manufacturing, animal feed, the production of fiber, and attractive landscapes we see in residential areas. Although pesticides are needed to do all these positive things, the chemicals we rely on so much come with dire consequences to the environment and life. The abuse of pesticides can ultimately result in the complete decline of the surface and groundwater networks. In summary, this authore explains that the world is using pesticides for an array of things that keep society going, but the consequences of making the choice to do this means we are contaminating ourground water and surface water.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln. (2018). Chemical & Physical Characteristics of Pesticides.
Retrieved from https://water.unl.edu/article/crop-production/chemical-physical-characteristics-pesticides

One must have a good understanding of chemical and physical components of pesticides to use them, as well as make appropriate choices for pesticide management. For instance, before applying pesticides, one must consider the inactive and presently-active chemical compounds in pesticides. Two critical chemical characteristics in a pesticide are water solubility and volatility. When a pesticide is more water-soluble, there is an increased chance that the applied pesticide will enter the watershed (rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans). On the other hand, the volatility of pesticides consists of the vapors secreted into the air from their application. Additionally, water-soluble pesticides stay in the water due to its ability to dissolve, thus traveling through the ecosystem at a rapid rate. Conditions of the earth and soil that pesticides are applied can also increase the pesticides’ ability to contaminate groundwater. If the of pesticides or if ground water tables may be near the top of the land, pesticides could contaminate the groundwater. Pesticides don’t just come in liquid form; they come in a physical form too, such as granulated pesticide that can travel through the wind and water. It is evident that pesticides pose a high risk to the water that we depend on in order to survive. Through the mere act of applying a pesticide to a plant, or on soil, the pesticide can either dissolve and enter the groundwater systems, therefore contaminating the watershed, or travel through the wind.

Rosival, L. (1985). Pesticides. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 11(3),
189-197. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/stable/40965211

A toxin and pollutants source, i.e. pesticides, comes from anywhere between the manufacturing process of the chemical pesticide to the long-term use of vector controls (the action or method to eradicate any living organism). The majority of pesticides don’t even reach their targeted areas. The most significant introduction of pollutants to the environment comes from accidental spills during transfer. After exposing ecosystems to pesticides, some vector-controlled pesticides can stay in an environment for up to fifteen years and travel through water to unpolluted areas.

Hindin, E., Hatten, M., May, D., Skrinde, R., & Dunstan, G. (1962). Analysis of Synthetic
Organic Pesticides in Water. American Water Works Association, 54(1), 88-90. Retrieved
from http://www.jstor.org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/stable/41257192

By 1958, over one-sixth of the land in the United States had been thoroughly covered with pesticides. These pesticides had little to no government regulation of the chemical compounds permitted to be in the pesticides. This virtual free-for-all of the pesticides resulted in water all across the United States being contaminated with pesticides. In 1962, two main chemicals of interest were the pesticides DDT and Aldrin. The U.S government eventually called for a public inquiry on the state of America’s watersheds. Hindin et al. (1962) state “methods are needed to detect and estimate their amounts in the water.” Due to the fact that companies who produce pesticides are continually changing the chemical ingredients in pesticides, it’s almost impossible to keep up with a systematic regulation of pesticide products.

Two main classes of pesticides that are of concern regarding the toxicology are “compounds which contain chloride functional groups, and compounds which inhibit the enzymatic ability of acetyl-cholinesterase” (Hindin et al., 1962). To adequately determine the presence of these pesticide compounds, programs to screen for compounds are needed to discover the class of a pesticide, establish correct “concentration of micro quantities” (Hindin et al., 1962), and the ability to find new compounds the pesticide companies are developing.

This article explains the ramifications of pesticide use in the early stages of its emergence to the environment. Our abuse of pesticides became such a problem that the United States government started giving grant funding for environmental research projects. Through the investigation of pesticides, it was concluded that the pesticide companies were operating in the “wild-wild-west” so to speak because, at the time, there were no formal government regulations of the chemical compounds permitted in pesticides. Furthermore, the testing equipment and science needed to identity the compounds in pesticides was nonexistent.

Charles, D. (2018). Government Scientist say a controversial pesticide is killing
endangered salmon [Electronic version]. Retrieved from
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/01/11/577178180/government-scientists-say-a-contro
versial-pesticide-is-killing-endangered-salmon

Even in 2018, humankind is still struggling to monitor and control pesticides, which is a constant cause for alarm since government environmental agencies have fought the use of pesticides since the 1960s. Dan Charles, a reporter for National Public Radio, states that the “federal government’s top fishery experts say three widely used pesticides – including controversial insecticide Chlorpyrifos – are jeopardizing many species of salmon.” (Charles, 2018). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been trying, with no avail, to ban the use of Chlorpyrifos. Unfortunately, when the final decision was left to the administrator of the EPA, Scott Pruitt, the Chlorpyrifos campaigned was axed. The toxic pesticide continues to be sprayed until sufficient evidence can prove that Chlorpyrifos has life-altering effects on children, including children in utero. New scientific evidence has come out that, in addition to Chlorpyrifos, the pesticides diazinon and malathion are currently combining and entering thewatershed and ecosystem.

This article shows the all too real current issues pertaining to the use of a volatile pesticide, Chlorpyrifos, in present day America. Sadly, saving the environment has become political, and the necessary changes are stuck in limbo due to feuding political parties. It’s the future leaders of America that will hopefully become the stewards of the earth. In conclusion, people are the main reason why the waters are becoming contaminated

Bucur, M. (2017). A Study on Issues and Solutions for Sustainable Development. Scientific Bulletin of the Petru Maior University of Targu Mures, 14(2), 36–43. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=128
300819&site=eds-live&scope=site

The entire planet has realized that our environment is in trouble. One solution to stopping the continued degradation of our planet is sustainable development. Sustainable development has been defined as the ability “to meet current needs without compromising future generations the chance to meet their own needs” (Bucur, 2017). This is not a new concept, however. Since 1989, the United Nations has proposed three basic principles of sustainable development, which basically boil down to leaving the earth in the same, if not better, shape for the next generation. Bucur defined environmental sustainability as “limiting the use of natural resources, respecting ecosystems, pollution reduction, recycling, use of clean technologies, environmental compliance, and protection of natural reserves” (2017). This requires all humans to do their part, and that is part of why modern society is having difficulty in following these principles.

The final analysis of pesticides concludes with a whole and complete perspective of pesticides, and why and how they hurt ecosystems. One can say that pesticides help the human race to produce food that feeds the planet, while also keeping insects from eating the agriculture and disease from spreading. Although these are all great reasons to want to use pesticides, overuse of pesticides is causing irreversible issues in the environment. Humans create pesticides to solve human problems; the end result is that the solution has become a new problem for humans.