THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES USED AT HOME
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page – – – – – – – – – i
Certification – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – iv
Table of Content – – – – – – – – v
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION – – – – 1-4
CHAPTER TWO: PESTICIDES – – – – – 5
2.1 Classification of Pesticides – – – – – 5
2.1.1 Organochlorine – – – – – – – 6
2.1.2 Carbamate – – – – – – – – 6-7
2.1.3 Fipronil – – – – – – – – 7-9
2.2 History of Pesticide Use – – – – – – 9-10
2.3 Pesticide Misuse and Abuse – – – – – 10-11
2.4 Importance of Pesticides – – – – – – 12-13
2.5 Human Exposure to Pesticides – – – – – 13-15
2.6 Pesticides Mode of Action – – – – – 15
2.6.1 Insecticides – – – – – – – – 15-17
2.6.2 Fungicides – – – – – – – – 17-18
2.6.3 Herbicides – – – – – – – – 18-19
CHAPTER THREE: EFFECT OF PESTICIDES ON HUMAN HEALTH
3.1 Acute Poising – – – – – – – 20-21
3.2 Chronic Poisoning – – – – – – – 21
3.2.1 Neurobehavioural Effects – – – – – 21-22
3.2.2 Developmental and Reproductive Effects – – – 22-23
3.2.3 Carcinogenic Effects – – – – – – 23
3.2.4 Immunological Effects – – – – – – 23-24
3.2.5 Leukemia – – – – – – – – 24
CHAPTER FOUR: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
4.1 Summary – – – – – – – – 25
4.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 26
References
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.0 PESTICIDES
Pesticides are those chemical substances that is used to prevent, destroy or repel any pest from causing any damage. The term pest represents any living organism that may cause harm to human, plant, animal and infect food and spread disease. Pests include insects, rodents, microbes, fungi and weeds (unwanted plants). Agricultural, Medical and Veterinary Importance, are therefore a pesticide or Insecticides, that is used to kill insect and plant growth, a fungicide, an herbicide, a molluscicide, and algaecide are all pesticides use in targeting pest organism (Shah, 2021).
The major site of action for most pesticides are the nervous and endocrine systems and therefore are also potentially toxic to human with serious direct or indirect adverse health effects (Ojajarvi et al., 2000). Human beings are exposed to pesticide directly or indirectly on daily bases. Direct exposure occurs during pesticide application process in agriculture, public health and livestock, and fumigation, while indirect exposure involves ingestion of contaminated food and water, and also the inhalation of pesticides droplets from the drift. Children are more susceptible to pesticides than adults due to their physical makeup. However, children who are exposed to pesticide than adults due to their physical makeup. However, children who are exposed to pesticide at a very tender age can develop an adverse health effects. “Codex Alimentarius Committee and the Pesticide” Data Program of the United States Department of Agriculture have established pesticide maximum residue limits in edible food which must be followed to avoid any health risks.
Pesticide exposures have been linked to the elevated incidence of human diseases such as cancers, Alzheimer, Parkinson, aniyotrophic lateral sclerosis, asthma, diabetes, bronchitis, infertility, birth defects, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and obesity, respiratory diseases, organ diseases and system failure. People who are exposed to pesticides are at a greater risk to develop various cancers including non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), leukemia, brain tumors, and cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, stomach disorder, colorectal, liver, and the urinary bladder.
Pesticides cause genetic and epigenetic changes by involving various processes at cellular levels. Pesticides may be involved in endocrine disruption and induction of inflammatory signals which result in production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing oxidative stress. ROS disrupt the cellular functions of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Pesticides are designed to kill and their mode of action is not specific to one species they often kill or harm organisms other than pests, including humans. The WHO estimates that there are about 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning each year and up to 220,000 deaths, primarily in developing countries. Pesticides results in production of reactive oxygen species which in turn brings down the antioxidant levels and their defense against oxidative damage in the cellular system, lipid, proteins and nucleic acids are targeted due to how the cellular signaling pathways are affected. Oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species induce the long-term health effects such as carcinogenesis, neuro-degeneration, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine and reproductive, problems. When pesticides disturb the oxidative balance, they pave way for these diseases and homeostasis. (Rajveer et al., 2019).
