Environmental

Effects of
Pesticides
 What is the
Environment?
• The “environment” is
everything around us Erwin W. Cole
natural and manmade;
not limited to the
outdoors, but including
indoor areas in which
we live and work.

Ken Hammond
 How do Pesticides Effect
the Environment?
• Point-Source Pollution: contamination that comes from
a specific, identifiable place (a point)
• Includes pesticide
spills, wash water from
cleanup sites, leaks from
storage sites, and
improper disposal of
pesticides and their
containers
Tim McCabe
 How do Pesticides Effect
the Environment?
• Nonpoint-Source Pollution:
contamination that comes
Bob Nichols
from a wide area
• Includes the drift of pesticides
through the air,
pesticide run- off
into waterways, pesticide
movement into
ground water, etc.
 Environmentally-Sensitive Areas
Sensitive areas include sites or living things that are
easily injured by pesticides, including:

• areas where ground water

is near surface or easily
accessed through wells,
sinkholes, etc.
• areas near surface waters
(oceans, lakes, streams)
NCSU Communication Services
 Environmentally-Sensitive Areas
Sensitive areas include sites or living things that are
easily injured by pesticides, including:

• areas heavily populated

with people (schools,
playgrounds, hospitals,
nursing homes, etc.)
• areas populated with
livestock
Ken Hammond
 Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Air
• The atmosphere is an important part of the hydrologic cycle
• Pesticides enter the
atmosphere through
drift, wind erosion and
evaporation
• Pesticides can move
great distances in the
atmosphere
• Pesticides reach the
earth’s surface via dry
deposition and precipitation

U. S Geological Survey
 Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Air
Long-range movement of long-lived pesticides documented:
• DDT and other organochlorine pesticides detected in Arctic
and Antarctic fish and mammals; used in 1960s and 1970s
• Toxaphene is still transported into
Great Lakes region by winds
from the Gulf of Mexico; used
on cotton in the South,
banned in 1982

USDA/ARS
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Air
Pesticides frequently detected in the atmosphere:
• Organochlorine insecticides (DDT, dieldrin and
lindane): widespread use in 1960s and 1970s; resistant
to environmental degradation
• Organophosphate insecticides (chlorpyrifos, diazinon,
malathion and methyl parathion): not long-lived in
environment; used heavily in the past and at present
• Triazine herbicides (atrazine): heavily-used herbicides,
persistant in environment
• Acetanilide herbicides (alachlor and metolachlor): used
heavily, but not as persistant as triazine herbicides
 Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Air

Number of pesticides detected in air, rain, snow and fog. U. S. Geologic Survey (1995).
 Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Air
Hazards of atmospheric pesticides to humans and environment:
• Source of exposure to pesticides
through inhalation (lungs have
surface area equal to tennis court)
• Source of contamination of surface Gene Alexander
waters and ground water through
dry deposition and precipitation
• Transport of pesticides from
application sites to sensitive areas
• Accumulation of pesticides in the
environment (soil, wildlife, etc.)
 Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Soil
• Pesticides can move in the environment via the soil by two
methods: erosion and leaching
• Erosion: soil particles which
are transported by wind
and water; pesticides attached
to soil particles
• Leaching: downward movement
of pesticides in the soil
through cracks and
pores

USDA Photograph
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Soil
Leaching USDA Photograph

• Soil normally filters water as it

moves downward, removing
contaminants such as pesticides
• Soil and pesticide properties,
geography and weather can
influence the movement of
pesticides (leaching)
• Pesticides that leach through
soils may reach ground water
 Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Soil
Soil Properties That Affect Leaching
• Organic matter: plant and animal
material decomposing in the soil;
organic matter binds pesticides;
the more organic matter in the
soil, the less likely pesticides will
leach
• Soil texture: determined by the
percentage of sand, silt and clay;
the higher percentage of sand, the
more likely pesticides will leach
USDA Photograph
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Soil
Soil Properties That Affect Leaching
• Soil acidity (pH): the acidity
of the soil affects chemical
properties of pesticides; as
the soil pH decreases
(becomes more acidic),
pesticides bind more to the
clay in the soil making the
pesticides less likely to reach
the ground water Scott Bauer
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Soil
Pesticide Properties That Affect Leaching
• Solubility: ability to dissolve in water; the more soluble
the pesticide, the more likely it will leach
• Adsorption: the ability of the pesticide to bind tightly and
quickly to organic matter in the soil affects leaching; the
greater the ability to bind to organic matter, the less likely
pesticides will leach
• Persistence: how long the pesticide remains in the soil;
pesticides degraded primarily by sunlight, soil microbes
and chemicals in the soil; the more persistent a pesticide,
the more likely it will leach into ground water
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Soil
Effects of Pesticide Application on Leaching

• Rate of application: the higher the rate (amount) of

pesticide applied, the greater the chance the pesticides will
leach
• Application method: pesticides applied to growing plants
can be absorbed by the plants or broken down by sunlight
before reaching soil; soil incorporated pesticides are not
exposed to sunlight and have greatest chance of leaching
into ground water
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Ground Water

• Ground water is water

located beneath the
earth’s surface, usually
in rock or soil
• Ground water is the
primary source of
drinking water for
50% of population,
95% of rural residents
in the United States

Ron Nichols
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Ground Water
• At least 143 pesticides and 21 of their transformation
products have been found in ground water, from every
major chemical class
• Pesticides commonly found
at low levels in
agricultural areas
(seldom exceed water-
quality standards)

Ken Hammond
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Ground Water
Pesticides most frequently detected in ground water:
• Triazine (atrazine) and
acetanilide (alachlor and
metolachlor) herbicides:
used extensively on corn and
soybeans in Midwest
• Carbamate insecticide
aldicarb (Temik): ground
water contamination
problems, sampled for
Bill Tarpenning
extensively
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Ground Water
Factors strongly associated with pesticide contamination of
of ground water are:
• High pesticide usage in
the area
• High recharge of ground
water by precipitation or
irrigation
• High soil permeability
• Well contamination is
greatest in shallow,
inadequately sealed wells Tim McCabe
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Surface Waters

• Surface waters include

streams, rivers, lakes,
reservoirs and oceans
• Streams and reservoirs
supply approximately
50% of the drinking
water in United States

Ken Hammond
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Surface Waters

• Pesticides enter surface

waters through run-off,
wastewater discharges,
atmospheric deposition
(dry and precipitation),
spills and ground water
• Pesticide concentrations
in surface waters follow
the seasonal patterns of
pesticide application and
run-off
U. S Geological Survey
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Surface Waters
• Low levels of pesticides are widespread in surface waters in
the United States
• Herbicides are detected more
frequently than insecticides, due
to their greater use
• Some pesticides exceed water-
quality standards during
certain seasons, but the
annual average concentrations
seldom exceed standards

Doug Wilson
Environmental Impact of Pesticides in Surface Waters
Pesticides most frequently detected in surface waters:
• Triazine (atrazine) and
acetanilide (alachlor and
metolachlor) and 2,4-D
herbicides: widely used
in agriculture
• Carbofuran and diazinon
were the most frequently
detected insecticides in
current use
Bill Tarpenning
Environmental Impact
of Pesticides on Plants
• Pesticides can move from
the intended target and
damage nearby plants,
including crops, forests Scott Bauer

and ornamental plants

• Phytotoxicity: plant injury
resulting from contact
with pesticides and/or
inert ingredients in
pesticide formulations
Bruce Fritz
Environmental Impact of Pesticides on Wildlife
Acute Poisoning: short exposures to some pesticides may kill or
sicken wildlife
• Fish kills caused by pesticide residues carried into waterways by
run-off, drift, etc. (e.g., fish kills in Mississippi River resulting
from Guthion use in Louisiana)
• Bird kills caused by birds
consuming pesticide-treated
vegetation/insects, pesticide granules,
bait or treated seed (e.g., birds
poisoned by eating granular
carbofuran)

Ken Hammond
Environmental Impact of Pesticides on Wildlife
Chronic Poisoning: exposure to non-lethal levels of pesticides
over extended periods can cause reproductive effects, etc.
• Populations of bald eagles and other birds of prey were reduced
by the widespread use of organochlorine insecticides (DDT) in
1950s and 1960s
• These compounds and metabolites caused
reproductive effects in birds
• Reduction in use of organochlorine insecticides
in the 1970s and early 1980s resulted in
greatly improved reproduction and increasing
bird populations
Tim McCabe
Environmental Impact of Pesticides on Wildlife
Secondary Poisoning: occurs when animals consume prey that
contain pesticide residues and concentrate the pesticide in their
bodies (i.e., bioaccumulation) resulting in their poisoning
• Predators become sick USDA Photograph

after feeding on dead or

dying animals poisoned
by pesticides
• Pesticide residues move
up the food chain (plants
eaten by plant feeding
animals which in turn are
eaten by predators)
Environmental Impact of Pesticides on Wildlife
Indirect Effects: adverse effects caused by the modification or
elimination of wildlife habitat or food supply
• Herbicides can reduce
food, cover and nesting Ken Hammond
sites for wildlife
• Insecticides can reduce
insects that serve as food
supply for other animals
• Plant pollination can be
effected by reductions in
populations of bees and
other plant pollinators
 Endangered and Threatened Species
of Plants and Animals
• Endangered species: “any
species which is in danger of
extinction throughout all or a
significant portion of its range”
• Threatened species: “any species
which is likely to become an
endangered species within the
foreseeable future”
• Endangered / threatened species
of plants and animals protected Tim McCabe

by the U. S. EPA under the

federal Endangered Species Act
Harmful Effects of Pesticides on Surfaces
• Pesticides can leave a
visible deposit on
surfaces (i.e., clothes,
carpets, walls, etc.)
• Pesticides can corrode
metal surfaces (i.e.,
paint on automobiles)
• Pesticides can short-
circuit electrical N. C. Pesticide Applicator Training Program
equipment
 Dose/Response
Exposure Terminology

Acute: Short term, high dose, usually measured in minutes to

days, can be multiple doses within a short period (burst hose
on a azinphos-methyl application or a B.T. Collins Cocktail).

SubChronic: Intermediate term, moderate to low dose,

measured in weeks to months (exposure to a seasonal use
material, e.g. triadimefon on grapes) .

Chronic: Long term, low dose, measured in months to years

(exposure to a constant use material, e.g. sulfuryl fluoride for
home fumigation).
 References
• Applying Pesticides Correctly: A Guide for Private and Commercial
Applicators. Unit 4: Pesticides in the Environment. pp. 39-48.
• Applying Pesticides Correctly: A Guide for Private and Commercial
Applicators. Unit 5: Special Environmental Concerns. pp. 49-59.
• McLaughlin, R. A., J. B. Weber, and R. L. Warren. 1994. Protecting
Groundwater in North Carolina: A Pesticide and Soil Ranking System.
AG-439-31. N. C. Cooperative Extension Service, Raleigh. 6 pp.
(http://ces.soil.ncsu.edu/soilscience/publications/Soilfacts/AG-439-31/)
• U. S. Geologic Survey. 1995. Pesticides in the Atmosphere: Current
Understanding of Distribution and Major Influences. Fact Sheet FS-
152-95. U. S. Geologic Survey, U. S. Dept. of the Interior. 4 pp.
(http://water.wr.usgs.gov/pnsp/atmos/)
 References
• U. S. Geologic Survey. 1995. Pesticides in Ground Water: Current
Understanding of Distribution and Major Influences. Fact Sheet FS-
244-95. U. S. Geologic Survey, U. S. Dept. of the Interior. 4 pp.
(http://water.wr.usgs.gov/pnsp/gw/)
• U. S. Geologic Survey. 1997. Pesticides in Surface Waters: Current
Understanding of Distribution and Major Influences. Fact Sheet FS-
039-97. U. S. Geologic Survey, U. S. Dept. of the Interior. 4 pp.
(http://water.wr.usgs.gov/pnsp/gw/)
• Whitford, F., Miller, B., Bennett, R., Jones, M., and Blesoe, L. 1994.
Pesticides and Wildlife: An Introduction to Testing, Registration, and
Risk Management. Publication PP-30. Purdue University Cooperative
Extension Service, West Lafayette, Indiana. pp. 6-7.
(http://www.agcom.purdue.edu/AgCom/Pubs/PPP/PPP-30.html)