PESTICIDE POLLUTION

A literal definition of a pesticide would be "a killer of pests". "any substance used for controlling,
preventing destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest".
While pesticides can be divided into many classes by target organism, mode of action etc for most
purposes chemical pesticides are divided into three major groups according to their target organism, that
is: insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. The characteristics of the main classes of insecticide: the
organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids .
 Organochlorines (Also called: chlorinated hydrocarbons)
- DDT and related compounds.
- Widely used for control of disease vectors (such as mosquitoes) and subsequently much used on
agricultural pests and also widely used againstinsects in domestic and industrial premises.
- Chlorinated cyclodiene insecticides such as aldrin, dieldrin and heptachlor- most widely used as
seed dressings and soil insecticides.
- Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), such as lindane- used against pests and parasites of farm
animals, also in insecticidal seed dressings.
Organochlorine insecticides are very stable solids , very low water solubility and high lipophilicity. They
may be very persistent in their original form or as stable metabolites.
All organochlorine insecticides are nerve poisons. DDT acts on the sodium channels in the nervous
system so that the passage of an 'action potential' along the nerve is disrupted. It causes uncontrolled
repetitive spontaneous discharges along the nerve. Uncoordinated muscle tremors and twitches are
characteristic symptoms. The chlorinated cyclodienes bind to the GABA receptors and reduce the flow of
Cl - ions. Typical symptoms include convulsions.
 Organophosphates
- Also called: organic esters of phosphorus acid. Such as bromophos, chlorpyrifos, diazinon,
dichlorvos, fenitrothion, malathion, parathion and phorate.
- They are mostly liquids, liphophilic, with some volatility and a few are solids. Generally, they are
less stable and more readily broken down than organochlorines and are relatively short-lived in the
environment, hence most of their hazard is associated with short-term (acute) toxicity.
Like organochlorines, organophosphates also act as a neurotoxin. They combine with the enzyme
acetylcholinesterase and prevent conduction of nerve impulses at junctions in the nervous system where
acetylcholine is the natural transmitter.
 Carbamates
e.g. aldicarb, carbaryl, carbofuran, methiocarb, methomyl, pirimicarb and propoxur
- Carbamates are a more recent development than organochlorines or organophosphates, they are all
derivatives of carbamic acid. The basic carbamate group is combined with different chemicals to produce
insecticides with a wide range of properties (in particular they vary greatly in their water solubility) and
actions. Carbamates are also used as herbicides and fungicides.
Action: basically the same as organophosphates, inhibiting the action of acetylcholine at the nerve
synapses. Doses of carbamates are not accumulative and carbamate poisoning is more easy to reverse than
that caused by organophosphates. They are generally regarded as representing a short-term hazard.
Pyrethroids
Such as cypermethrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, phenothrin, resmethrin.
- Pyrethrin insecticides were developed from naturally occurring chemicals found in the flower heads of
Chrysanthenum sp. and these provided the model for the production of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides.
Pyrethroids are generally more stables than natural pyrethrins. Overall, most pyrethroids are not
1
sufficiently soluble in water to be used a systemic insecticides. They control a wide range of agricultural
and horticultural insect pests and are used extensively to control insect vectors of disease.
Action: pyrethroids are generally solids with very low water solubility and they act as neruotoxins in a
very similar way to DDT. They are readily biodegradable but can bind to particles in soils and sediments
and can be persistent in these locations.

Pesticides in Nepal
It has not been long that people started using chemicals in order to increase the agricultural productivity
and securing human health. These chemicals are often called as pesticides and insecticides even though
they are found under different brands and names in the market. According to EPA, pesticides are the
chemicals used to prevent, destroy, repel and mitigate the insects and pests. In Nepal, during the 1950s,
DDT was introduced for malaria eradication program which was later imported by the Government of
Nepal. Later on, other pesticides were imported for the same purpose. Gradually, new kinds of pesticides
like organochlorines, organophosphates and carbamates were introduced.
Uses of pesticides come with adverse effects on the health of the people, land and environment. Studies
have already confirmed that the use of pesticides and insecticides might results in the cancer, non-cancer
and improper neural development. Other fatal effects of pesticides are dermatological effects, acute and
chronic neurotoxicity, birth defects, fetal death, altered growth and genotoxicity, destroys habitat. Even
though the effects of the pesticides are already pronounced, people in developing countries are still using
the pesticides.
Consumption of pesticides in Nepal:
About two million tons of pesticides are used globally among which 45 percent is consumed in Europe
followed by 24 percent in the USA and remaining 25 percent in the rest of the world. The domestic
consumption of pesticide in Nepal is very low 0.142 a.i. kg/ha (kilogram per hectare) comparing with
other countries like India (0.5 kg/ha), Mexico (0.75 kg/ha), Germany (3 kg/ha), UK (5 kg/ha), USA
(7kg/ha), Netherlands (9.4kg/ha), Japan (12 kg/ha), China (14 kg/ha) and Taiwan (17 kg/ha)19,20.
Fungicides are the dominant form of pesticides used in Nepal. In the year 2011/2012, more than 48% of
pesticides were used in the form of fungicides. Total active ingredients used in the pesticides during
2011/2012 were about 345 thousands kg or liters of which very minimal amount has been used for public
health use.

2
Use of pesticides for agriculture and public health purposes:
Not only for agricultural purpose is pesticides used but for the public health purposes as well. Pesticide
was imported in Nepal at first for getting rid of malaria parasite. Pesticides have been classified into two
parts:
i. Agricultural use and
ii. Public health use.
Agricultural use pesticides includes insecticides (organochlorine, organophosphates, carbamates,
synthetic pyerthroids, botanical products, mixed insecticides and others),herbicides, fungicides,
rodenticides, bio-pesticides, acaricides, bactericides and others. In Nepal, pesticide for agricultural
purposes are mainly used for controlling the pests, weeds and rodents whereas for public health purposes
its mainly used for the control of malaria, dengue fever etc.

Environmental effects of pesticides, in different compartiments.

1. Soil contamination

Pesticides enter the soil via spray drift during foliage treatment, wash-off from treated foliage, release
from granulates or from treated seeds in soil. Some pesticides such as soil fumigants and nematocides are
applied directly into soil to control pests and plant diseases presented in soil. The transport, persistence or
degradation of pesticides in soil depend on their chemical properties as well as physical, chemical and
biological properties of the soil.

2. Water contamination
Pesticides can get into water via drift during pesticide spraying, by runoff from treated area, leaching
through the soil. In some cases pesticides can be applied directly onto water surface e.g. for control of
mosquitoes. Water contamination depends mainly on nature of pesticides (water solubility,
hydrophobicity), soil properties, weather conditions, landscape and also on the distance from an
application site to a water source.

3
 3. Effects on organisms
Soil microorganisms play a key role in soil. They are essential for maintenance of soil structure,
transformation and mineralization of organic matter, making nutrients available for plants. Although soil
microbial population are characterized by fast flexibility and adaptability to changed environmental
condition, the application of pesticides (especially long-term) can cause significant irreversible changes in
their population. Inhibition of species, which provide key process, can have a significant impact on
function of whole terrestrial ecosystem. Other soil species are also often affected by pesticides application
and non-target soil community structure can be strongly affected.

Pesticides can enter fresh water streams directly via spray drift or indirectly via surface runoff or drain
flow. Many pesticides are toxic to freshwater organisms.

Toxic Effects of Pesticides

Acute toxicity

Pesticides can be acutely toxic. This means that they can cause harmful or lethal effects after one single
episode of ingestion, inhalation or skin contact. The symptoms are evident shortly after exposure or can
arise within 48 hours. They can present as:
 respiratory tract irritation, sore throat and/or cough

 allergic sensitisation

 eye and skin irritation

 nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea

 headache, loss of consciousness

 extreme weakness, seizures and/or death

Long term (or chronic) toxicity

Pesticides can cause harmful effects over an extended period, usually following repeated or continuous
exposure at low levels. Low doses don’t always cause immediate effects, but over time, they can cause
very serious illnesses.
 Repeated exposure to pesticides, even in small doses, has been linked to a number
of diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, sterility, and developmental
disorders.
 Chronic exposure to pesticides can also lead to genetic changes and serious nerve
disorders.
 Some studies have even linked pesticides to asthma, ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

4
 Some pesticides contain chemicals that may be endocrine disruptors. These types
of pesticides can be especially damaging because they interfere with our hormones and
hormonal balance. Over a period of time, even low concentrations of these chemicals can
cause obesity, diabetes, thyroid tumors, decreased fertility, uterus abnormalities, and
early puberty.
 Lastly, pesticides are also known to cause neurological issues such as loss of
memory and coordination, visual impairment, mood instability, and reduced motor skills.

5
6