Endocrine Disruptors: Atrazine Paper Example

Atrazine is a herbicide that is mostly used to kill weeds while doing farming. A good example like the pure atrazine, not only is it an odorless white powder that is not flammable, and it is also not volatile. Atrazine is a chemical that is made in the laboratory, and people use it by dissolving in water. On crops such as sorghum, pineapple, corn, nuts, macadamia and sugarcane, Atrazine is used to prevent weeds from growing on both the railroad and highway (Patisaul, & Belcher, 2017). Before crops grow to a certain level, Atrazine chemical is sprayed twice even after they have emerged from the soil. The Endocrine are chemicals that hurt the endocrine system of the body by producing adverse, neurological, developmental, immune and reproductive impact in both wildlife and humans (Patisaul, & Belcher, 2017).

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In normal circumstances, Atrazine mimics a biological compound by facilitating the production of estrogen. Usually, the chemical disrupts the hormonal levels of the human cells and that of animals. The chemical has also been discovered to induce breast cancer in rats. One exciting thing is that humans don't live in water because atrazine is usually continuously exposed. However, wildlife, amphibians, and fish are often posed to risks because they bathe, swim and drink in the same water. Atrazine is a chemical that was detected as a pesticide in drinking water in 2001 in the United States (Patisaul, & Belcher, 2017). According to research, it was discovered that many animals that were affected had their natural hormonal systems changed. By 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S released a report that stated the risk associated with such pesticides pose a reasonable threat of harm. After a small survey, the EPA also discovered that atrazine affects the sexual development of amphibians. The same study also showed that atrazine has adverse effects when exposed to human beings and this leads to some server health issues.

When the human body is exposed to the endocrine disruptor, atrazine tends to interfere with the hormonal activities of both animals and humans even at extremely low doses. Science also showed that atrazine hurts the hormonal system that facilitates its growth. It does this by altering the hormonal levels especially in rats, and this delays puberty. When atrazine was exposed to male frogs, they had chemical castration, and this made them adopt female sex characteristics (Patisaul, & Belcher, 2017). Hypothesize used in this research showed that the atrazine signals convert testosterone to estrogen and this demasculinized the frogs.

Since atrazine disrupts the hormones, it also has reproductive effects when exposed to the herbicides. The reproductive effects, in this case, include reduced male fertility, the risk of miscarriage, increased chances of health defects and incidences of abdominal defects. It is also evident that the growth of atrazine is usually associated with elevated risks of prostate and breast cancer. The time an individual is exposed varies with the importance and exposure levels. A study conducted revealed that when a woman is pregnant and is exposed to low levels of atrazine, it affects the development of the fetal. When the woman reaches the third semester, the condition becomes critical.

In the U.S atrazine is a widely used herbicide and approximately 94% of the content is found on their drinking water when compared with other pesticides. Since 1998 to 2003 approximately seven million citizens are exposed to atrazine because the concentration is in water fields that have corn (Grasiela, 2012). The water also had traces of atrazine during early summer and late spring because the rain flushes herbicides into the streams as well as their local water supplies. The atrazine levels in water can also go above the legal limit of about three parts per billion in the water supply in the U.S. Even though the bases of EPA had limitations, the monitoring levels revealed alarming levels exposed to human.

An analysis done by NRDC in 2010 discovered that about 67 public water systems had high levels of atrazine that went as high as 60 ppb. About six water systems contained average annual atrazine concentration that surpasses the limits of EPA. Even though the figures were taken after water was treated they still had high concentrates of atrazine. When atrazine is exposed to the environment it does die immediately (Grasiela, 2012). The sensitive species, that are also affected by atrazine develops effects that become devastating. Amphibians and Fish, for instance, were most vulnerable. According to research atrazine can be exposed to levels of herbicides to the point that they affect the species around.

Many scientists had also discovered that when frogs were exposed to approximately 0.1 parts per billion, it affected them severely. When Atrazine is detected to a contaminated water surface, they tend to compromise the growth of amphibians and fish and also affected their immune function, gonadal development, and behavior. Results from the study also revealed that only 10 percent of male frogs that were placed in water that was contaminated with atrazine, they turned to female frogs (Grasiela, 2012). While atrazine is known to have adverse effects, it is also beneficial, particularly in farming. According to a recent analysis, it was noted that there are viable ways of growing food and producing corn while using atrazine. The study also showed when atrazine was dropped, it made the soil yields to rise. Farm organizations like the Land Stewards Project have also released reports of how to eliminate and reduce using atrazine in the production of corn.

Citizens that live around areas where crops were affected atrazine also had the chemical exposure to their drinking water. In the U.S, about 20 superfund sites were exposed to Atrazine. People who also lived the sited were also at risk due to high levels of atrazine. A report released by the government also stated that approximately 1000 citizens were exposed to atrazine chemical yearly (Grasiela, 2012).

It is evident that the contamination of Atrazine can be dangerous if they are not controlled. A widespread of the chemical also has an impact on the development of wildlife as well as human health because both their drinking water and watersheds have been contaminated. Based on a report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council, atrazine is the most detected pesticide that affects the animal and human hormones (Grasiela, 2012). It was also discovered that hermaphroditic amphibians and humans also heard low sperm count. It was also evident that the contamination of atrazine contaminates drinking water. A report released by the Environmental Protection Agency detected that unsafe drinking water means that the atrazine chemical is beyond three parts per billion. The findings also discovered that the concentration also allows the levels of atrazine on the water to increase.

Given the pesticides value and facts, agricultural methods will be a substitute for having the same results. Phasing out the atrazine in this effective monitoring means that the farming technics can help minimize and prevent the chemical from running into waters way. When the concentration is as low as 0.1 ppb, for instance, the sex characteristics of frogs both females and males changed. Most scientists were concerned about pregnant women and children were exposed to atrazine in small doses their reproductive organs and brains were affected (Grasiela, 2012). The report also showed that the effect of atrazine had chemical reactions that multiply the impact of toxins and chemical co-contaminants seen around the environment.

Atrazine is a chemical that slightly affects humans. Even though it can be absorbed through the blood, the only way humans get exposed to humans is through inhalation, dermal and oral exposure. Most symptoms generated from the poison include hypothermia, eye irritation vomiting and diarrhea and several skin reactions (Marsella & Gratch, 2012). When atrazine is of high doses for instance in rats, they showed signs of depression, incoordination, hyperthermia, muscle spasm, and slow breathing. In most circumstances, people rely on groundwater to get their drinking water. Some of them even get their source of water for downstream fields that have been exposed to atrazine. Most factory workers are always exposed to high amounts of atrazine especially if they are herbicides applicators while applying atrazine. In most circumstances, many people are also exposed to atrazine whenever they are practicing agriculture. Children are also exposed to this chemical when they drink water from the wells that have the herbicide. Other ways that people are exposed to atrazine is through touching, eating, drinking and breathing.

Under these circumstances, various ideas are applied to ensure that the chemical does not affect people. A good example is the One health which is a concept that the environmental health, animal health, and human health are connected because they collaborate across disciplines that are accomplished towards the improvement and understanding of good health. Most people believe that this concept is intuitive but when it is appropriately applied several reasons show why it is beneficial (Marsella & Gratch, 2012). One challenge in implementing this concept is finances. Besides money issues convincing people is another factor that accompanies financial matters. One health is a collaboration that needs togetherness to apply, and this requires people to go for conferences regularly either through joint sessions and activities. With this, people network and several disciplines are applied with similar academic interests. The same idea can also be applied in social events to create new ideas, educate people, generate interest and research opportunities to allow for collaborations on activities or projects to design a space for people under the one health discussion.

Conclusion

Atrazine is a chemical that is not only used in the U.S but other parts of the world. Seven EU countries however banned using atrazine because they put policies that prohibited the pesticides especially if atrazine levels went beyond 0.1 parts per billion. The EU countries like Belgium, Ireland, and Luxemburg on the other never banned atrazine. The Australian National Registration, for instance, surveyed atrazine and noticed that no significant toxicological concerns were raised (Marsella & Gratch, 2012). One interesting thing I have learned about this chemical is its advantages and disadvantages. I never noticed that such compounds existed until I understood that scientists created it but as a pesticide. Even though its purpose revolved around killing bugs in crops, its contamination became so high until it began affecting the environment. The chemical has also gone to the extent that it is changing the amphibians and wild animals. For instance, when atrazine was tested in male frogs by scientists, it was discovered that they adopted the female characters. It is quite interesting how this chemical has the power to change the characteristics of a frog. Regulating this chemical as done many countries is the best way because this chemical is hazardous to the point that it affects innocent children that drink water from wells. This is an excellent way to prevent the growth and development of their internal organs.

References

Fritz, A. (2012). Procedures For Assessing Potential Natural Resource Damages At Superfund Sites. Proceedings OCEANS, 33-54. doi:10.1109/oceans.1989.586779

Grasiela, D. (2012). Effects of Herbicide Atrazine in Experimental Animal Models. Herbicides - Properties, Synthesis and Control of Weeds. doi:10.5772/32579

Marsella, S., & Gratch, J. (2012). The Effect of Aff...