A Presentation on“Pesticides use and Health

Hazards”EXT-591 CREDIT SEMINAR (1+0)

Presented By:-Ranjit Subba

M.Sc. (Ag.) 4th Sem.Dept. of E.E.S.

P.S.B. VISVA-BHARATI

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Learn about pesticides – what they are and what are the risks they may pose?

• Identify the scenarios – where and how humans are exposed to pesticides?

• Recognize signs, symptoms and diseases that may be related to pesticide exposure to the humans.

• Know how to prevent and treat pesticide exposure.

OverviewI) What is Pesticides?- Classification on the basis of use- Pesticide use throughout the world- Worldwide pesticide demandII) Effects of Pesticides- Human may be harmed by pesticides in two waysIII) Pesticides Exposure- Estimated overall annual public health impact of pesticide

poisoningIV) Pesticides in children’s complex environment flow chartV) Signs and symptoms of harmful effectsVI) Prevention of exposureVII) Responding to a poisoning emergencyVIII) General guidelines for first-aidIX) Conclusion

What is Pesticides?• Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill a variety of

pests, such as weeds, insects, rodents, and fungi. They can be characterized on the basis of function—insecticide, herbicide, rodenticide, fungicide, and others.

- There are two types of pesticides:-1. Biological and;a) Predatory and Parasitic Insects:-

-Predator- Rodolia & Parasite- Pseudopycus utilisb) Predatory Vertebrates, Birds, Reptiles etc. :-

-E.g.; Fish, Frog Sparrow, Crow, Bats and Rats etc.2. Chemical;

-Organophosphates, Organochlorines and Pyrethroids etc.

Classification of chemical pesticides on the basis of Use

Sl. No. Pesticides Against which used

1. Insecticides Insects

2. Nematicides Nematodes

3. Rodenticides Rodents

4. Fungicides Fungal diseases

5. Weedicides Weeds

Reference: www.scientificbeekeeping.com (2010)

Reference: www.seedquest.com

Harmful Effects of Pesticides

Pesticides can cause three types of harmful effects:

1) Acute effects,

2) Delayed effects and;

3) Allergic effects.

A) Acute Effects

- Pesticides cause four types of acute effects:

• Acute oral effects,

• Acute inhalation effects,

• Acute dermal effects and;

• Acute eye effects.

B) Delayed Effects• Delayed effects are illnesses or injuries that do not appear

immediately (within 24 hours) after exposure to a pesticide or combination of pesticides.

C) Allergic Effects• Allergic effects are harmful effects that some people develop in

reaction to substances that do not cause the same reaction in most other people.

Types of allergic effects –- Some people are sensitized to certain pesticides. After being

exposed once or a few times without effect, they develop a severe allergy like response upon later exposures.

These allergic effects include:• Systemic effects, such as asthma or even life-threatening shock,• Skin irritation, such as rash, blisters, or open sores and;• Eye and nose irritation, such as itchy, watery eyes and sneezing.

Humans may be harmed by pesticides in two ways

They may be 1) poisoned or 2) injured.

• Pesticide poisoning is caused by pesticides that harm internal organs or other systems inside the body.

• Pesticide-related injuries usually are caused by pesticides that are external irritants.

1. Improper handling of pesticides 2. Extensive pesticide usage

3. Poor house keeping of pesticides 4. Improper pesticide storage

Ways of exposures

Types of ExposuresPesticides contact our body in four main ways:-- Oral exposure,- Inhalation exposure,- Ocular exposure and;- Dermal exposure.Causes of Exposure1) Oral exposures:• Not washing hands before eating, drinking, smoking, or

chewing.2) Inhalation exposures:• Prolonged contact with pesticides in closed or poorly

ventilated spaces.3) Dermal exposures:• Not washing hands after handling pesticides or their containers,4) Eye exposures:• Splashing or spraying pesticides in eyes.

PESTICIDESAgriculture,Veterinary,"Cosmetic" Human health and;Public health

Air, water, food, soil and objects.

PESTICIDES IN CHILDREN'S COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT FLOW CHART

HomeSchoolPlaygroundFarmsFields

Eating and drinking contaminated food and beverages

Playing in contaminated areas etc.

Acute effectsPoisoningNeurotoxicityCancer?Impaired-development.

SUSCEPTIBILITIESParaoxonase (PON)- Critical windows-AgeNutritional status-Poverty

Signs and Symptoms of Harmful Effects

1) External irritants:

• Redness, blisters, rash, and/or burns on skin and;

• Swelling, a stinging sensation, and/or burns in eyes, nose, mouth, and throat.

2) Pesticide poisoning:

• Excessive sweating, chills, and/or thirsts,

• Chest pains,

• Difficult breathing,

• Cramps in our muscles or aches all over our body.

PREVENTION OF EXPOSURE

1) PREVENTION – LOCAL LEVEL

Use pesticides ONLY when the benefits outweigh the risks

• Avoid cosmetic or scheduled use of pesticides in the home

• Use integrated pest management (IPM), non-chemical pest controls

If pesticides are necessary:

• Store in original containers with child-proof seals, out of reach, in a locked cabinet,

• Educate on the safe use of pesticides,

• Follow manufacturer’s instructions,

• Use protective equipment and;

• Use least hazardous chemicals, least dangerous mode of application.

2) PREVENTION – COMMUNITY LEVELIntegrated pest management (IPM)• Homes• Schools• Public buildings• Health centers• Public parksCommunity activities• Community campaigns• School activities• Local awards or contests• Pesticide-free "zones"• Support organic farming

3) PREVENTION – NATIONAL LEVEL

Education campaigns aimed at pesticide users, general population and children.

Restrict availability or limit use.

Establish and monitor maximum residue limits.

Surveillance and epidemiological vigilance for acute and chronic related illness.

Treatment capacities

• Emergency services.

• Poison control centers and;

• Education of health care providers.

Responding To a Poisoning EmergencyA) Local Emergency Response

Get medical advice quickly if you or any of your fellow workers have unusual or unexplained symptoms starting at work or later the same day.

Do not let yourself or anyone else get dangerously sick before calling your physician or going to a hospital.

B) First Aid for Pesticide Poisoning

First aid is the initial effort to help a victim while medical help is on the way.

Apply artificial respiration if the victim is not breathing.

The best first aid in pesticide emergencies is to stop the source of pesticide exposure as quickly as possible.

General Guidelines For First Aid1) Pesticide on skin:• Remove personal protective equipment and contaminated clothing.• Wash skin and hair thoroughly with a mild liquid detergent and water.• Dry victim and wrap in blanket or any clean clothing at hand.2) Pesticide in eye:• Wash eye quickly but gently.• Use an eyewash dispenser, if available.• Rinse eye for 15 minutes or more.3) Inhaled pesticide:• Get victim to fresh air immediately.• Loosen tight clothing on victim that would constrict breathing.• Apply artificial respiration if breathing has stopped or if the victim's skin is

blue.4) Pesticide in mouth or swallowed:• Rinse mouth with plenty of water.• Give victim large amounts (up to 1 quart) of milk or water to drink.• Induce vomiting only if instructions to do so are on the labeling.

Conclusion• All pesticides have the potential to be harmful to humans,

animals, other living organisms, and the environment if used incorrectly.

• Modern agriculture practices have been great promise for economic development of nation. Farm productivity is directly proportional to use of agrochemicals as observed from the first green revolution.

• Improper and unsafe use of these agrochemicals, especially pesticides is not only harmful to environment but also human health.

• Poverty and Illiteracy are greatly responsible for improper handling of pesticides.

• However the study has also found that there is ample scope for reducing pesticide exposure through training, agricultural extension and community mobilization etc.

References ;

Philip G. Koehler, University of Florida and Robert A. Belmont, Florida Pest ControlAssociation. March 1998.Mathur, Y.K and Upadhyay K.D. A text book of Entomology, Aman Publishing House Meerut-250002 (U.P) India.Children's Health and the Environment, WHO Training Package for the Health Sector World Health Organization www.who.int/ceh