Pesticides: The most use chemicals with their benefits and hazards.

Pesticides are the chemical substance used for killing pests and they are commonly a wide range of compounds including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, molluscicides, nematicides and plant growth regulators. Pesticides are the most chemical substances used in agriculture which carry both positive impacts as well as negative impacts. So, with this report I will be talking about their benefits and hazards of pesticides in environment and in agriculture sectors.

Benefits of pesticides:

In common understanding, pesticides contains chemical properties that kills pests which result in the higher yield and improve the overall quality of crops. Hence, we can connect to agricultural production. They are also used widely in forestry sectors in silvicultural treatment for shrubs, herbs and tree improvement. They are also used for controlling human and livestock disease vectors. For instance, spraying pesticides to destroy mosquitoes larva and eggs & for destroying the nuisance organisms present in the fur of Goats, sheep's etc. Similarly, they are also used to keep fruits and vegetable fresh over many days. In other hand, they are also extensively used in furniture's and heritage sites to prevent from the attack of termites.

Negative impacts of Pesticides:

Instead of benefits, the pesticides still have numerous hazards on human health and environment. Pesticides directly impacts to human's respiratory and circulatory systems because pesticides contains several harmful chemicals and if they came contact directly to our skin, eyes and nose while spraying, manufacturing and formulation. This kind of risk are high in the workers of chemical manufactures. Pesticides result surface water contamination, ground water contamination and soil contamination because Pesticides easily contaminate the air, ground and water when they run off from fields, escape storage tanks, are not discarded properly, and especially when they are sprayed aerially.

However we can minimize the use of pesticides by: a) By embracing organic and locally grown foods and vegetables. b) Adopting and practicing the non-toxic method for controlling pests. c) Being environment friendly. d) Washing foods and vegetables extensively before eating.

References:

·         Aktar MW, Sengupta D, Chowdhury A. Impact of pesticides use in agriculture: their benefits and hazards. Interdiscip Toxicol. 2009; 2:1–12. doi: 10.2478/v10102-009-0001-7

·         Impacts of pesticides on the environment. Pesticide Action Network UK. Available at: https://www.pan-uk.org/our-environment/

·         Pesticides. Available at: https://byjus.com/chemistry/pesticides/

·         Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Pesticides. Earth easy. Available at: https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/6-ways-to-reduce-your-exposure-to-pesticides/

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