Pollution due to pesticides in agriculture

 Dr.Sarika1 Maheshwari & Tripti Sharma2 & Sonam Yadav3

Pesticides are chemicals  used to remove fungal or animal pests. Approximately 95% reaches  to other organisms apart from the targeted pests, because of their application technique in the farming fields. For instance, overflow can take pesticides into water bodies. Frequently spraying also enhances the pest resistance while still affecting the other organisms in the soil.

Every pesticide or a group of pesticides gets accompanied by a set of hazards in the environment. Such unwanted outcomes have caused the banning of a lot of pesticides in addition to regulations that are meant to minimize and decrease the usage of others. As much as the quantity of pesticides sprayed per hectare has reduced due to pesticide use regulations globally, it is still on the rise in some areas that use old and out of date pesticides.

 Pesticide Pollution Affects Air, Water, and Soil

1. Pesticides contribute to air pollution

When the wind blows, it pollutes the air. Pesticides that have been applied to plants are easily volatile and can be blown away to nearby places, possibly creating danger for wild animals and people living in such areas.Mainly, pesticides that get applied in the form of powder can be transported by the wind to other regions. The relative humidity and temperature at the time of application contribute to the spreading of the pesticide in the air, so, the more the wind blows, the more the spread and vice versa.Thus, the quantity of inhalable pesticides is dependent on the weather and season. The pesticides can also stick to dust particles in the air. Spraying at the ground level can reduce the drift as compared to above ground spraying.

2. Contributes to tropospheric ozone

Since most farmers do not utilize a shield zone around the crops, which can be made up of bare land or plants that are not crops such as trees that will act as windbreakers and take up the pesticides, it mostly gets absorbed in the air and the soil.

As a result, pesticides sprayed on fields to disinfect soil can produce chemicals called volatile organic compounds. These compounds tend to react with other chemicals and create a pollutant known as tropospheric ozone. Thus, pesticides contribute to about 6% of the total tropospheric ozone levels.

3. Contamination of water bodies

In the US (United States), pesticides were discovered to contaminate each watercourse and over ninety percent of wells tested in a research conducted by the US Geological Survey. What is more, residues of pesticides have been also discovered in ground water and rain.

Researches in the United Kingdom show that the concentration in pesticides is too much from samples taken from some rivers and groundwater and for this reason, no longer fit for drinking.

4. Killing of aquatic life

The effects of pesticides on aquatic systems are frequently studied by means of hydrology transport model which studies movement and outcome of chemicals in water bodies. During the 1970’s, quantitative evaluations of pesticides runoff were carried out so to assess the quantity of chemicals that can reach surface waters.

When the chemicals in the pesticides reach water bodies, they are absorbed or ingested by aquatic life forms such as fish leading to organ failure and diseases, eventually killing them. The chemicals may also alter the water body’s PH, therefore, interfering with the normal functioning of aquatic life.

4. Pesticides end up killing the micro-organisms in the soil

Using pesticides for an extended period on crops will, in the long run, percolate into the soil. The moment they are in the soil, they terminate micro-organisms despite their crucial role of breaking down organic substances and help in growing of crops. It can normally take a lot of years for micro-organisms to once more live in an area that has been contaminated by deadly pesticides.

Effects of Pesticides on Human Health and the Environment

1. Causes diseases which can be chronic .Contact with pesticides can happen in a lot of ways; it can be through agricultural activities, treating crops, planting and in grain stores. It can also happen while planting a garden, forestry, skilled and domestic pest control and when spraying is done and using facilities, for instance, the parks, playgrounds, and pavements.

Some of the symptoms may be in the form of:

Coughing, sore throat and irritation in the respiratory tract.Sensitiveness Irritation in the eyes and skin.Feelings of nausea, queasiness, and diarrhoeaLosing consciousness and headachesFeeling extremely weak, convulsions and/or demise

2. Pesticides can alter an individuals’ normal functioning

An additional challenge is that a person who gets affected by the chemicals can be affected when the pesticide interacts with other poisonous substances that people get exposed to. Each day people get exposed to a combination of pesticides and the actuality is that no one is sure of the actual effects of consistently being exposed to even low concentration of pesticides. Often, it can result in reduced physical activity and changes in the normal functioning of certain body organs.

3. They are dangerous to terrestrial and aquatic plants

There are a lot of risks to the environment associated with the use of pesticides thus surpassing the benefits that are sought after. They have radical effects on species that were not targeted leading to effects on animal and plant biodiversity. After applying the chemicals, they volatilize in a short period.

For example, herbicides have a tendency of volatizing off the sprayed crops and vaporizing. The vapors, as a consequence, are capable of causing serious harm to other plants. Uninhibited usage of pesticides has caused a decrease in a number of earthly and aquatic organisms and species of plants.

They have also endangered the continued existence of some uncommon species such as osprey, peregrine falcon, and bald eagle. Besides, the air, water, and soil have reached toxic levels due to the pesticide pollution. Amongst all the groups of these chemicals, insecticides are considered to be one of the most deadly while fungicides and herbicides follow with regards to toxicity amounts.

4. They are toxic to animals, both wild and domestic

When pesticides get into the ordinary ecosystems, they do that in two methods depending on how soluble they are. The water-soluble ones get dissolved in water, lakes, ponds, rivers thus harming species that were not targeted. Alternatively, the ones that are fat soluble get into animals’ bodies through “bioamplification” or “biomagnification”. This means that the chemicals get soaked up in the fatty tissues of animals, in consequence, causing perseverance of pesticides in the food chain for long periods of time.

5. Pesticides are poisonous to fish species

When pesticides get into the water, they do so by drifting, running off, and leaching in the soil or through the direct application on top of the water, for example, to eliminate mosquitoes. Water that has been polluted creates a great danger to animals and organisms living in water by reducing the amount of oxygen available and also result in mental and behavioral alterations in the fish populace.

Many studies conducted show that lawn care pesticides have been found in surfaces of ponds, rivers, and oceans. The studies further indicate that pesticide-contaminated water poses a great threat to aquatic form of life namely fishes and other living organisms. Not only are the pesticides harmful, but also in interacting with different stressors such as algal blooms, they become even more lethal.

Studies show that plants in water give about 80% of oxygen in water; the oxygen is essential in sustaining the aquatic life. Terminating the plants through the use of herbicides severely reduces the quantity of oxygen available and eventually leading to the suffocation of fish and reduces their productivity.

        1 Associate Professor, Deptt.of Biotechnology Swami Vivekanand Subharti University,Meerut

        2 Student M.Sc. Biotechnology Final Year Swami Vivekanand Subharti University,Meerut

        3 Student B.Sc. Biotechnology Second Year Swami Vivekanand Subharti University,Meerut

Pollution-A growing Threat

 Sonam yadav1, Dr. Sarika Maheshwari2 & Dr. Sarika Goel3

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us; when we see land as a commodity to which we belong , we may begin to use it with love and Respect’’.

              

Pollution is a serious issue affecting our planet today, yet many people continue to turn a blind eye thinking that it’s not that serious. Pollution is described as the addition of substances to the environment faster that the environment can dispose, recycle, decompose, or store in a harmless state. There are different types of pollution and includes water, soil, air, and sound pollution and all these continue to cause major problems. In our quest to better, our lives we forget or rather ignore the negative impacts such deeds can have on the environment.

Mostly the cities where there is a lot of pollution are most affected. The fumes that emanate from factories and vehicles not only make it difficult to breathe but the future health of the child, suggests that there is a critical exposure time when air pollution may have lasting effects on respiratory health.

At the same time the child’s lungs is developing, the child’s immune system, immature at birth, is also beginning to develop .Much recent attention in asthma research has been focused on this development, in particular factors that influence the development of TH-2[  Humoral immunity dominant] versus TH-1[Cellular immunity dominant ] phenotypes.

Another major factor that influences the relative impact of air pollution on children versus adults is exposure. Children spend more time outdoors than adults, particularly in the summer and in the late afternoon .Some of that time is spent in activities  that increase ventilation rates. This can increase the exposure to air pollutants compares with adults ,as indoor concentrations of air pollutants of outdoor origin are usually lower.

Children’s expose to air pollution is a special concern because their immune system and lungs are not fully developed when exposure begins, raising the possibility of different responses than seen in adults. In addition, children spent more time outside, where the concentrations of pollution from traffic, power plants ,and other combustion sources are  generally higher. Although air pollution has long been thought to exacerbate minor acute illness, recent studies have suggested that air pollution ,particularly traffic-related pollution, is associated with infant mortality and the development of asthma and atopy. Other studies have associated particulate air pollution with acute bronchitis in children and demonstrated that rates of bronchitis and chronic cough declined in areas where particle concentrations have fallen. More mixed results have been reported for lung function. Overall ,evidence for effects of air pollution on children have been growing, and effects are seen at concentrations that are common today.

Mostly the cities where there is a lot of pollution are most affected. the garbage , honking, blaring music are all menaces that we should aim to reduce for a better planet . the biggest paradox is that the more we pollute the environment the riskier it becomes for us to live in it. Pollution effects our health ,which lowers our quality of life significantly.

Poisonous chemicals emmited in factories are dangerous and exposes us to various elements that can cause cancer. Garbage scattered all over increases the chance of getting a variety of epidemic diseases. Agriculture practice also leads to pollution of land through the use of chemical fertilizers that degrade the soil fertility. Jhum cultivation or slash or burning process in which the harvested land is burned and became barren also contribute towards the land pollution.

“Nature is for everyone’s need and not for everyone’s greed”.

According to scientists, it’s not too late to take action we can take measures to prevent any further damage and adopt better waste disposal measures for a better planet. Each one of us needs to be responsible in protecting the environment. We can all do things better to ensure we safeguard our human race for our benefit and our future generations. Simple things such as a saving electricity, fuel, using biodegradable materials , recycling, among others count in reducing pollution.

We should take measures to protect our mother planet earth. We can make a step for the mentioned intention by planting trees , cultivate garden to curb polluted air and release of more oxygen, avoid plastic bags and use paper bags, use recyclable products , wherever possible, restrict usage of hazardous chemicals , don’t overuse air conditioners and heaters , use public transport to reduce air and noise pollution, stop burning crackers, protect mother earth  by not spilling oil, garbage, sewage, at undesired place. Pollution disturbs our ecosystem so we have to take initiative to the quality of life .Only by taking the above mentioned steps we can contribute at an enormous level in saving our environment.

         “Go Green To Breathe Clean”.

1.Student of BSc Biotechnology II Year Swami vivekanand subharti university,Meerut

2Associate professor Department of biotechnology Swami vivekanand subharti university,Meerut

3.AAssistant professor ,Department of biosic science,Shri ram college Muzaffarnagar