Important health effects research regarding common pesticides is reported in the medical journal summaries below. The majority of information was acquired by extensiveresearch from the University of Florida & University of South Florida Medical Libraries. It provides solid evidence linking common pesticides including insecticides, herbicides & fungicides, to early onset of many identified health disorders. Some individuals have lower levels of cytochrome P- 450 liver detoxification enzymes which would predispose them to accelerated damage from exposure to synthetic chemicals (Harry Gelboin - National Cancer Institute).
Information compiled by Wayne Sinclair, M.D. (Board Certified Immunology) Richard Pressinger, M.Ed. research@chem-tox.com
Breast Cancer linked to Home Pesticide Chlordane SOURCE: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Volume 90:55-64, 2005
One in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer according to the latest statistics. Breast cancer rates in the U.S are 3-7 times higher than those in Asia. This 2005 study conducted at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research and Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock Texas, found that cancerous breast tissue contained the chemical heptachlor epoxide found in the common home pesticide chlordane at levels 4 times higher than non-cancerous breast tissue. Chlordane was the primary termite prevention pesticide used in over 30m U.S homes between the mid 1950's and 1988. An estimated 50m U.S residents are currently exposed to the volatization of this chemical from previously treated pre-1989 homes on a daily basis. For more info., visit: www.chem-tox.com/chlordane
Dr. Richard A. Cassidy, Sridhar, George M. Vaughan Tox Free, Inc., Tell City, IN Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock, TX US Army Institute of Surgical Research
Birth Defects Higher in Babies Born to families living in areas using Pesticides SOURCE: Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 111(9):1259-1264, July, 2003.
Babies born to families living near areas using chemical pesticides have been found to have a 65% greater risk of having birth defects related to the circulatory and respiratory system. The pesticide category believed to be the known culprit is chlorophenoxy herbicides that contain the chemical 2,4-D. Chlorophenoxy herbicides are used by fumigators to kill a variety of weeds and also commonly used by city maintenance departments for grass and weed control along roads, canals etc. Other conclusions of the study found there was over a 100% increase in respiratory and circulatory birth defects in babies if heart malformations were excluded. When looking at musculoskeletal and intergumental anomalies for both sexes in the high-agricultural areas, there was a 50% increased risk of these types of defects. Infant deaths for male babies from congenital anomalies related to the birth defects were over 2.5 times higher than normal. Scientists also found that infants conceived from April - June (the time of primary pesticide application) had a 75% increased risk of being diagnosed with birth defects - compared to birth defect rates for conception during other times of the year. In conclusion, the scientists stated "These results are especially of concern because of widespread use of chlorphenoxy herbicides."
Dina M. Schreinemachers National Health and Environmental effects Research Laboratory Office of Research and Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Mosquito Control - Pesticides linked to Immune System Weakening & Frog Mutations SOURCE: Article below appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle by Carl T. Hall, Chronicle Science Writer Original journal article appeared in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: 99(15):9900-9904, July 23, 2002.
Raising new questions about environmental risks of some widely used chemicals; scientists are reporting today the first evidence linking agricultural run-off to grotesque hind-limb deformities in frogs. Researchers said frogs appear to be made more vulnerable to a common parasite when exposed to the pesticides atrazine and Malathion. The parasite, a burrowing trematode worm, tends to infect the hindquarters of developing tadpoles. Atrazine is part of a family of chemicals that rank among the world's most widely used weed killers. Malathion is commonly applied to control mosquitoes and other insects, and pharmaceutical grades are approved for killing head lice. Both products are controversial but considered safe for commercial use in the United States. At last count, wild frogs with missing or extra hind limbs have been observed in at least 43 states and five Canadian provinces. Earlier studies clearly implicated the trematode parasite but left open the question of what might be causing the apparent increase in the problem. The latest study, by ecologist Joseph Kiesecker at Pennsylvania State University and edited by UC Berkeley amphibian specialist David Wake, tries to fit in the key remaining puzzle piece. The study appears in the early edition of this week's proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Kiesecker said his observations of the common wood frog Rana sylvatica in the wild, followed by controlled studies in his laboratory, produced "compelling" evidence that pesticides can weaken the immune system of exposed amphibians -- even at very low concentrations -- making the frogs more vulnerable to parasites.
The field studies showed "considerably higher rates of limb deformities where there was pesticide exposure," Kiesecker said in an interview. "Then the lab experiments helped support the mechanism for what we saw in the field." He also looked at another pesticide; a synthetic chemical called esfenvalerate, but did not find the same links to growth anomalies as seen with Malathion and atrazine. For the latter two chemicals, significant effects were seen even at concentrations considered safe for drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency. Even these very low levels of exposure could produce "dramatic effects on the immune response" of the animals. And that, in turn, led to significantly more growth defects. Kiesecker stopped short of endorsing any effort to further restrict use of atrazine and malathion, but he said his results underscored the importance of studying toxic chemical effects in a context approaching the complexity found in natural ecosystems. In this case, he explained, the two farm chemicals "disturbed host-pathogen interactions" with sometimes devastating effects. But all that would be missed in traditional studies examining only the chemicals and the frogs in isolation. Some other scientists backed by the farm-chemical industry, challenged Kiesecker's results. Although they said the new study was intriguing, they suggested the details couldn't be trusted until corroborated independently.
Original Journal Article Author Information: Joseph M. Kiesecker Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University 208 Laboratory, University Park, PA.
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Linked to Pesticides & Chemicals SOURCE: Annals of Oncology, 5(1):S19-S24, 1994 Introduction: Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) is a blood cancer that continues to increase rapidly in industrialized countries. NHL is considered similar to leukemia by many experts but is characterized by exceptionally high numbers of "lymphoctye" white blood cells that are manufactured in the body's lymph glands.
Below is the abstract from this article:
The epidemiology of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was reviewed. In the United States, the annual incidence of NHL rose from 5.9 per 100,000 people in 1950 to 9.3 per 100,000 in 1975, to 13.7 in 1989. The elderly showed the greatest increase. Most of the recent increase was not attributable to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Mortality rates due to NHL were increasing at almost 2% per year. The largest proportional increases occurred in the brain and other areas of the nervous system. Occupational studies have indicated that persons with certain jobs have an increased risk, including farmers, applicators of pesticides, grain millers, wood and forestry workers, chemists, cosmetologists, machinists, printers, and those working in the petroleum, rubber, plastics, and synthetics industries. A three to nine fold increased risk of developing NHL was noted for patients receiving treatment with alkylating agents or radiotherapy. The most extensive data related to pesticides and the occurrence of NHL suggest that exposure to phenoxy herbicides, particularly 2,4-D (94757), is linked to NHL. Flour millers exposed to fungicides and fumigant pesticides had over a fourfold increased risk of NHL; long term follow up indicated this risk increased to nine fold. An etiologic link between exposure to various solvents and NHL has been defined by recent studies including benzene (71432), styrene (100425), 1,3-butadiene (106990), trichlorethylene (79016), perchloroethylene (127184), creosote (8021394), lead-arsenate (10102484), formaldehyde (50000), paint thinners, and oils and greases. Recent findings also indicated an increased risk of NHL in those exposed to dusts and particles, hair dyes, and cigarette smoke. An association was noted between NHL and Helicobacter-pylori infection. Nitrate contamination of groundwater also may be linked to increased incidences of NHL.
Mosquito Repellant DEET Linked to Neurological Damage SOURCE: Environmental News Service, May 10, 2002 DURHAM, North Carolina, May 10, 2002 (ENS) - A common ingredient in mosquito and tick repellents may be linked to some neurological problems, a new study suggests.
A Duke University Medical Center pharmacologist is recommending caution when using the insecticide DEET, after his animal studies last year found the chemical causes diffuse brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats after frequent and prolonged use.
Mohamed Abou-Donia, PhD has called for further government testing of the chemical's safety in short term and occasional use, particularly in view of Health Canada's recent decision to ban products with more than 30 percent of the chemical.
Every year, about one-third of the U.S. population uses insect repellents containing DEET, available in more than 230 products with concentrations up to 100 percent. While the chemical's risks to humans are still being intensely debated, Abou-Donia says his 30 years of research on pesticides' brain effects indicate the need for caution among the general public. His numerous studies in rats, two of them published last year, demonstrate that frequent and prolonged applications of DEET cause neurons to die in regions of the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory and concentration. Rats treated with an average human dose of DEET - 40 milligrams per kilogram body weight - performed far worse than control rats when challenged with physical tasks requiring muscle control, strength and coordination. Such effects are consistent with physical symptoms in humans reported in the medical literature, such as those experienced by some Gulf War veterans, said Abou-Donia.
"If used sparingly, infrequently and by itself, DEET may not have negative effects - the literature here isn't clear," Abou-Donia said. "But frequent and heavy use of DEET, especially in combination with other chemicals or medications, could cause brain deficits in vulnerable populations."
Children are at particular risk for subtle brain changes caused by chemicals in the environment, because their skin more readily absorbs them, and chemicals may affect their developing nervous systems, said Abou-Donia. Preparations like insecticide based lice killing shampoos and insect repellents are assumed to be safe because severe consequences are rare in the medical literature. Yet subtle symptoms, such as muscle weakness, fatigue or memory lapses, might be attributed to other causes in error, Abou-Donia said. "The take home message is to be safe and cautious when using insecticides," said Abou-Donia. "Never use insect repellents on infants, and be wary of using them on children in general. Never combine insecticides with each other or use them with other medications. Even so simple a drug as an antihistamine could interact with DEET to cause toxic side effects. Don't spray your yard for bugs and then take medications. Until we have more data on potential interactions in humans, safe is better than sorry."
Fetal Deaths Linked to Living Close to Agricultural Pesticide Use During Weeks 3-8 of Pregnancy SOURCE: Epidemiology, 12(2), March 2001
Approximately 19,000 fetal deaths (stillborn) occur each year in the United States. The causes of these deaths remain unclear. Researchers from the University of North Carolina and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) worked together in this study of over 600 children to determine what part local pesticide use plays in increasing the risk of having a late fetal death after 5 months of pregnancy. Using maps and records of pesticide use, the researchers divided mothers into categories according to how close they lived to pesticide applications. If they lived within 1 mile of an agricultural pesticide application that occurred between weeks 3-8 of gestation they were considered as "exposed." 3-8 Weeks during pregnancy were selected since this is the critical period in which formation of organs and limbs are occurring. Results of this study showed there was approximately 2-fold greater risk of having a stillbirth if the mother lived within 1 mile from an agricultural area which used organophosphate - pyrethroid - carbamate - or chlorinated pesticides. Primary defects which contributed to the death of the child were urinary system and multiple congenital anomalies.
CHEM-TOX COMMENT: This research is particularly important because it is the first to determine risk if limiting exposure to the 3-8 weeks gestational period, thereby demonstrating true risk to pregnant mothers in schools, homes, offices and neighborhood mosquito control projects. Other studies would have diluted results since they have been done on a trimester basis. Also of great concern is the increased risk stated here for having a stillborn child after exposure to pyrethroid pesticides. Pyrethroid based pesticides are the main pesticide used for mosquito control truck applications and should therefore, raise concerns regarding exposure to pregnant women living in mosquito spray areas.This is not the first study to find a link between pesticides and fetal defects - another study reported in Epidemiology, 10:60, 1999, found pregnant mothers had a 70% increased risk for congenital defects if home pesticides were used or if living within a quarter-mile of an agricultural crop during the month before conception and the first trimester of pregnancy.
Erin M. Bell, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, James J. Beaumont Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
