Humans are exposed to pesticides daily from food and the environment. Certain groups of people, such as farmers, are exposed to pesticides through their work, while others are susceptible to pesticides from food, water, and the environment. Though pesticides have proven useful in combating pests, long-term use has been correlated with many chronic diseases. Pesticides can disrupt many of the body’s systems. Furthermore, evidence has linked pesticides to cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease.
Epidemiological and agricultural health studies gave evidence that different types of neoplasm were shown. This includes breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, and stomach cancer (Alavanja and Bonner, 2012)
Certain molecular mechanisms display a correlation between pesticide exposure and chronic diseases. Genetic and epigenetic damage are examples of this. Genetic damage results in DNA or chromosomal damage which is a major mechanism for diseases. Pesticides can cause genetic damage as exposure to a pesticide causes premutagenic damage, mutagenic damage, and chromosomal aberrations. There is also evidence that displays that pesticides cause epigenetic change. These changes are then either passed on or support diseases later in life. When a cell is exposed to pesticides there is acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation of histones, methylation of DNA, and expression of miRNAs. These lead to epigenetic modifications, which have been linked with neurodegenerative diseases, late-onset diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.
Evidence has linked pesticides to cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease.
Mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress are all mechanisms negatively affected by pesticides. Mitochondrial dysfunction causes an imbalance of cellular energy and has been lined with many neurodegenerative disorders. This includes Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and ALS. Furthermore, oxidative stress causes oxidative imbalance and damages every component of the cell. Oxidative stress has been correlated with the furthering of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration, atherosclerosis, schizophrenia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and renal and respiratory disorders. (Ahmad et al., 2010, Ciobica et all., 2011, Fendri et al., 2006; Lushchak and Gospodaryov, 2012; Nathan et al., 2011) Lastly, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is caused by a disruption of ER. The ER is essential in storing calcium, and any disruption can cause unfolded or misfolded proteins. This causes ER stress, which when prolonged, has been shown to play a role in chronic diseases.
All in all, a cycle forms in the body from pesticides. Oxidative stress leads to mitochondrial damage, which affects ROS and calcium levels. This disrupts the ER and causes ER stress, a factor in protein aggregation, that leads to epigenetic and genetic alterations. These alterations affect several of the body’s systems including the endocrine, reproduction, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, and renal systems. The disruption of these systems plays a significant role in chronic diseases including cancer, developmental disorders, reproduction disorders, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and renal disease.
To combat the negative effects of pesticides, several solutions have been offered. Pesticide biodegradation is an eco-friendly way to do this. This involves using microorganisms to degrade pesticides and reduce the risk of exposure. The microbes use catabolic enzymes to break down pesticides and clean the environment. Additionally, certain insects and plants, mechanical traps, and hand weeding are non-chemical ways that have been useful in reducing pesticide usage. Consuming organic produce reduces the amount of pesticides put in the body for the general population. Also, refraining from applying pesticides before rain, where it could wash into water sources, reduces the risk of pesticides in drinking water.
Petitions
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-our-petition-protect-our-ability-to-ban-pesticides
