Herbicide Use - HH-RA.org

Freisthler et al., 2022

Freisthler, Marlaina S., Robbins, C. Rebecca, Benbrook, Charles M., Young, Heather A., Haas, David M., Winchester, Paul D., & Perry, Melissa J.; “Association between increasing agricultural use of 2,4-D and population biomarkers of exposure: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2014;” Environmental Health, 2022, 21(1); DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00815-x.

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND: 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is one of the most extensively used herbicides in the United States. In 2012, 2,4-D was the most widely used herbicide in non-agricultural settings and the fifth most heavily applied pesticide in the US agricultural sector. The objective of this study was to examine trends in 2,4-D urinary biomarker concentrations to determine whether increases in 2,4-D application in agriculture are associated with increases in biomonitoring levels of urine 2,4-D.

METHODS: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with available urine 2,4-D biomarker measurements from survey cycles between 2001 and 2014 were utilized. Urine 2,4-D values were dichotomized using the highest limit of detection (LOD) across all cycles (0.40 mug/L or 0.4 ppb). Agricultural use of 2,4-D was estimated by compiling publicly available federal and private pesticide application data. Logistic regression models adjusted for confounders were fitted to evaluate the association between agricultural use of 2,4-D and urine 2,4-D level above the dichotomization threshold.

RESULTS: Of the 14,395 participants included in the study, 4681 (32.5%) had urine 2,4-D levels above the dichotomization threshold. The frequency of participants with high 2,4-D levels increased significantly (p < .0001), from a low of 17.1% in 2001-2002 to a high of 39.6% in 2011-2012. The adjusted odds of high urinary 2,4-D concentrations associated with 2,4-D agricultural use (per ten million pounds applied) was 2.268 (95% CI: 1.709, 3.009). Children ages 6-11 years (n = 2288) had 2.1 times higher odds of having high 2,4-D urinary concentrations compared to participants aged 20-59 years. Women of childbearing age (age 20-44 years) (n = 2172) had 1.85 times higher odds than men of the same age.

CONCLUSIONS: Agricultural use of 2,4-D has increased substantially from a low point in 2002 and it is predicted to increase further in the coming decade. Because increasing use is likely to increase population level exposures, the associations seen here between 2,4-D crop application and biomonitoring levels require focused biomonitoring and epidemiological evaluation to determine the extent to which rising use and exposures cause adverse health outcomes among vulnerable populations (particularly children and women of childbearing age) and highly exposed individuals (farmers, other herbicide applicators, and their families).

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Rezende et al., 2021

Rezende, E.C.N., Carneiro, F.M., de Moraes, J.B. et al. “Trends in science on glyphosate toxicity: a scientometric study.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28, 56432–56448 (2021). DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14556-4

ABSTRACT:

As part of the most used herbicides, glyphosate is the most successful ingredient of agrochemical companies. The main objective of this study was to demonstrate research trends related to the glyphosate toxicity and its main effects on human and environmental health. For this purpose, 443 articles published, from 1995 to 2020, on the platform Web of Science™ Thomson Reuters were selected. The main toxicity results related in literature are genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and endocrine disruption. The environmental effects come mostly from the contamination of groundwater and soils. Several studies have concluded that herbicide concentrations right below the official safety limits induced toxic effects. The results presented a highlighted harmful effect of glyphosate on both human and environmental health. It has been observed that countries where publish the most about the glyphosate toxicity are great investors in large-scale agriculture. It is important to ponder that these countries are in a route of ecosystem exploitation that includes not only fauna and flora, but also human beings. Unfortunately, science does not provide concise data for these pesticide disapproval in the global consumer market. It is necessary to search sustainable global interest alternatives to increase agriculture production based on peoples’ food sovereignty. FULL TEXT

Pelosi et al., 2021

C. Pelosi, C. Bertrand, G. Daniele, M. Coeurdassier, P. Benoit, S. Nélieu, F. Lafay, V. Bretagnolle, S. Gaba, E. Vulliet, C. Fritsch.; “Residues of currently used pesticides in soils and earthworms: A silent threat?;” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2021, 305; DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2020.107167.

ABSTRACT:

Critical knowledge gaps about environmental fate and unintentional effects of currently used pesticides (CUPs) hamper the understanding and mitigation of their global impacts on ecological processes. We investigated the exposure of earthworms to 31 multiclass CUPs in an arable landscape in France. We highlighted the presence of at least one pesticide in all soils (n = 180) and 92 % of earthworms (n = 155) both in treated crops and nontreated habitats (hedgerows, grasslands, and cereals under organic farming). Mixtures of at least one insecticide, one herbicide, and one fungicide (> limit of quantification) contaminated 90 % of soils and 54 % of earthworms at levels that could endanger these nontarget beneficial soil organisms. A high risk of chronic toxicity to earthworms was found (46 % of samples) both in treated winter cereals and nontreated habitats considered as refuges. This may alter biodiversity, hinder recovery, and impair ecosystem functions. These results provide essential insights for sustainable agriculture and CUP regulation, and highlight the potential of pesticides as agents of global change. FULL TEXT

Rohr, 2021

Rohr, J. R.; “The Atrazine Saga and its Importance to the Future of Toxicology, Science, and Environmental and Human Health;” Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2021, 40(6), 1544-1558; DOI: 10.1002/etc.5037.

ABSTRACT:

The herbicide atrazine is one of the most commonly used, well studied, and controversial pesticides on the planet. Much of the controversy involves the effects of atrazine on wildlife, particularly amphibians, and the ethically questionable decision making of members of industry, government, the legal system, and institutions of higher education, in most cases in an effort to “bend science,” defined as manipulating research to advance economic, political, or ideological ends. In this Critical Perspective I provide a timeline of the most salient events in the history of the atrazine saga, which includes a multimillion-dollar smear campaign, lawsuits, investigative reporting, accusation of impropriety against the US Environmental Protection Agency, and a multibillion-dollar transaction. I argue that the atrazine controversy must be more than just a true story of cover-ups, bias, and vengeance. It must be used as an example of how manufacturing uncertainty and bending science can be exploited to delay undesired regulatory decisions and how greed and conflicts of interest—situations where personal or organizational considerations have compromised or biased professional judgment and objectivity—can affect environmental and public health and erode trust in the discipline of toxicology, science in general, and the honorable functioning of societies. Most importantly, I offer several recommendations that should help to 1) prevent the history of atrazine from repeating itself, 2) enhance the credibility and integrity of science, and 3) enrich human and environmental health. FULL TEXT

Schulz et al., 2021

Schulz R, Bub S, Petschick LL, Stehle S, Wolfram J.; “Applied pesticide toxicity shifts toward plants and invertebrates, even in GM crops;” Science, 2021, 2;372(6537):81-84; DOI: 10.1126/science.abe1148.

ABSTRACT:

Pesticide impacts are usually discussed in the context of applied amounts while disregarding the large but environmentally relevant variations in substance-specific toxicity. Here, we systemically interpret changes in the use of 381 pesticides over 25 years by considering 1591 substance-specific acute toxicity threshold values for eight nontarget species groups. We find that the toxicity of applied insecticides to aquatic invertebrates and pollinators has increased considerably-in sharp contrast to the applied amount-and that this increase has been driven by highly toxic pyrethroids and neonicotinoids, respectively. We also report increasing applied toxicity to aquatic invertebrates and pollinators in genetically modified (GM) corn and to terrestrial plants in herbicide-tolerant soybeans since approximately 2010. Our results challenge the claims of a decrease in the environmental impacts of pesticide use.

Jugulam et al., 2018

Jugulam, Mithila, Varanasi, Aruna K., Varanasi, Vijaya K., & Prasad, P. V. V. (2018). Climate Change Influence on Herbicide Efficacy and Weed Management. In S. S. Yadav, R. J. Redden, J. L. Hatfield, A. W. Ebert, & D. Hunter (Eds.), Food Security and Climate Change (First ed., pp. 433-448): John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

INTRODUCTION:

Climate change refers to a change in the climate system that persists for long periods of time, irrespective of the cause. Since the industrial revolution, climate change has been more often associated with a rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbons. The concentration of atmospheric CO2 is steadily rising and is expected to reach ∼1000 μmolmol−1 by the year 2100 with a simultaneous increase of 2–4∘C in the earth’s annual surface temperature (IPCC, 2013). Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have contributed to a large extent to the emission of greenhouse gases (IPCC 2013, MacCracken et al., 1990). Continued emission of these gases may lead to unprecedented climate changes involving high global temperatures, erratic precipitation and wind patterns, and weather extremities such as droughts, floods, and severe storms (Tubiello et al., 2007; Robinson and Gross, 2010; Gillett et al., 2011; Coumou and Rahmstorf, 2012). Such extreme weather events and rapid climatic changes will have major impacts on the stability of ecosystems; consequently influencing plant life and agriculture (Dukes and Mooney, 1999). Crop production and agronomic practices involving weed management and pest control may be severely affected by these altered abiotic conditions primarily caused by changes in climate and climate variability (Dukes et al., 2009, Singer et al., 2013). Warmer and wetter climates not only affect weed growth but also change chemical properties of certain herbicides; thereby altering their performance on weeds and their control (Poorter and Navas, 2003; Dukes et al., 2009). Determining the response of weeds and herbicides to increased CO2 levels and associated changes in other climate variables is critical to optimize weed management strategies in the context of climate change. This chapter provides an overview of the impacts of climate change factors on weed growth and herbicide efficacy, particularly focusing on the impacts of climate factors on the underlying physiological mechanisms that determine herbicide performance. FULL TEXT

Jugulam et al., 2018

Jugulam, Mithila, Varanasi, Aruna K., Varanasi, Vijaya K., & Prasad, P. V. V. (2018). Climate Change Influence on Herbicide Efficacy and Weed Management. In S. S. Yadav, R. J. Redden, J. L. Hatfield, A. W. Ebert, & D. Hunter (Eds.), Food Security and Climate Change (First ed., pp. 433-448): John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

INTRODUCTION:

Climate change refers to a change in the climate system that persists for long periods of time, irrespective of the cause. Since the industrial revolution, climate change has been more often associated with a rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbons. The concentration of atmospheric CO2 is steadily rising and is expected to reach ∼1000 μmolmol−1 by the year 2100 with a simultaneous increase of 2–4∘C in the earth’s annual surface temperature (IPCC, 2013). Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have contributed to a large extent to the emission of greenhouse gases (IPCC 2013, MacCracken et al., 1990). Continued emission of these gases may lead to unprecedented climate changes involving high global temperatures, erratic precipitation and wind patterns, and weather extremities such as droughts, floods, and severe storms (Tubiello et al., 2007; Robinson and Gross, 2010; Gillett et al., 2011; Coumou and Rahmstorf, 2012). Such extreme weather events and rapid climatic changes will have major impacts on the stability of ecosystems; consequently influencing plant life and agriculture (Dukes and Mooney, 1999). Crop production and agronomic practices involving weed management and pest control may be severely affected by these altered abiotic conditions primarily caused by changes in climate and climate variability (Dukes et al., 2009, Singer et al., 2013). Warmer and wetter climates not only affect weed growth but also change chemical properties of certain herbicides; thereby altering their performance on weeds and their control (Poorter and Navas, 2003; Dukes et al., 2009). Determining the response of weeds and herbicides to increased CO2 levels and associated changes in other climate variables is critical to optimize weed management strategies in the context of climate change. This chapter provides an overview of the impacts of climate change factors on weed growth and herbicide efficacy, particularly focusing on the impacts of climate factors on the underlying physiological mechanisms that determine herbicide performance. FULL TEXT

Ziska, 2020

Ziska, Lewis H.; “Climate Change and the Herbicide Paradigm: Visiting the Future;” Agronomy, 2020, 10(12); DOI: 10.3390/agronomy10121953.

ABSTRACT:

Weeds are recognized globally as a major constraint to crop production and food security. In recent decades, that constraint has been minimized through the extensive use of herbicides in conjunction with genetically modified resistant crops. However, as is becoming evident, such a stratagem is resulting in evolutionary selection for widespread herbicide resistance and the need for a reformation of current practices regarding weed management. Whereas such a need is recognized within the traditional auspices of weed science, it is also imperative to include emerging evidence that rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and climatic shifts will impose additional selection pressures that will, in turn, affect herbicide efficacy. The goal of the current perspective is to provide historical context of herbicide use, outline the biological basis for CO2/climate impacts on weed biology, and address the need to integrate this information to provide a long-term sustainable paradigm for weed management. FULL TEXT

Ziska, 2016

Ziska, Lewis H.; “The role of climate change and increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide on weed management: Herbicide efficacy;” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2016, 231, 304-309; DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2016.07.014.

ABSTRACT: Rising concentrations of carbon dioxide [CO₂] and a changing climate will almost certainly affect weed biology and demographics with consequences for crop productivity. The extent of such consequences could be minimal if weed management, particularly the widespread and effective use of herbicides, minimizes any future risk; but, such an outcome assumes that [CO₂] or climate change will not affect herbicide efficacy per se. Is this a fair assumption? While additional data are greatly desired, there is sufficient information currently available to begin an initial assessment of both the physical and biological constraints likely to occur before, during and following herbicide application. The assessment provided here, while preliminary, reviews a number of physical and biological interactions that are likely, overall, to significantly reduce herbicide efficacy. These interactions can range from climatic extremes that influence spray coverage and field access to direct effects of [CO₂] or temperature on plant biochemistry and morphology. Identification of these mechanisms will be essential to both understand and strengthen weed management strategies associated with rising levels of [CO₂] in the context of an uncertain and rapidly changing climate.

Ziska, 2016

Ziska, Lewis H.; “The role of climate change and increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide on weed management: Herbicide efficacy;” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2016, 231, 304-309; DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2016.07.014.

ABSTRACT: Rising concentrations of carbon dioxide [CO₂] and a changing climate will almost certainly affect weed biology and demographics with consequences for crop productivity. The extent of such consequences could be minimal if weed management, particularly the widespread and effective use of herbicides, minimizes any future risk; but, such an outcome assumes that [CO₂] or climate change will not affect herbicide efficacy per se. Is this a fair assumption? While additional data are greatly desired, there is sufficient information currently available to begin an initial assessment of both the physical and biological constraints likely to occur before, during and following herbicide application. The assessment provided here, while preliminary, reviews a number of physical and biological interactions that are likely, overall, to significantly reduce herbicide efficacy. These interactions can range from climatic extremes that influence spray coverage and field access to direct effects of [CO₂] or temperature on plant biochemistry and morphology. Identification of these mechanisms will be essential to both understand and strengthen weed management strategies associated with rising levels of [CO₂] in the context of an uncertain and rapidly changing climate.

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