(682a) The Impact of Pollution from the Pesticide Atrazine, and Their Public Health Implications

Atrazine is an herbicide that does not occur naturally. It is used to kill weeds and pests, primarily on farms, but has also been used on highway and railroad rights-of-way. Use of herbicides helps increase agricultural yields. Global pesticide usage is over 3.5 million tons in 2020; the largest users are the U.S., China, and Argentina. Other common herbicides used include glyphosate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), metolachlor, and dieldrin.

Atrazine is used on a wide variety of agricultural crops as an herbicide to control broadleaf and grassy weeds. It can enter drinking water supplies from runoff from agricultural fields where it has been applied. Atrazine does not accumulate in living organisms such as algae, bacteria, clams, or fish. It can be taken up by plants and can accumulate in soils. Atrazine is hazardous to plants, soil organisms, and aquatic organisms. It is also a human health hazard; children and elderly people are particularly susceptible to health effects of atrazine. Consuming water with high levels of atrazine can cause adverse effects such as cardiovascular system problems, central nervous system disorders, and reproductive problems. Notably, there is no evidence that boiling water removes atrazine. Additionally, atrazine is an eye and skin irritant, and it may cause cancer. Liver, kidney, and heart damage have been observed in animals exposed to atrazine; we do not know whether this occurs in humans. Atrazine has been observed to cause changes in blood hormone levels that affect ovulation and the ability to reproduce. Exposure to high levels of atrazine causes a decrease in fetal growth and birth defects in animals, and causes reduced survival of fetuses in humans. A few studies have shown that it could affect pregnant women causing their babies to grow more slowly than normal or cause premature birth, and this has implications for brain health.

This presentation provides a description and review of various physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods for removing atrazine from water sources. Examples of treatment methods include: granular activated carbon adsorption; biochar adsorption onto zeolites and bentonite; Fenton advanced oxidation process; ozone oxidation, sulfate radical oxidation, photocatalytic treatment, microbial treatment, phytoremediation, plant-microbial remediation, and combinations of treatment technologies. Process performance will be indicated where available.

Health effects from atrazine exposure will also be addressed in the presentation.