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Another study finds link between atrazine and birth defects

by: desmoinesdem

Thu Feb 11, 2010 at 05:18:29 AM PST

Yet another study has found that exposure to the weed-killer atrazine is associated with a higher rate of a birth defect:

Living near farms that use the weed killer atrazine may up the risk of a rare birth defect, according to a study presented this past Friday [February 5] at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in Chicago.
About 1 in 5000 babies born in the U.S. each year suffers from gastroschisis, in which part of the intestines bulges through a separation in the belly, according to the March of Dimes. The rate of gastroschisis has risen 2- to 4-fold over the last three decades, according to Dr. Sarah Waller, of the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues. [...]
The researchers looked at more than 4,400 birth certificates from 1987-2006 - including more than 800 cases of gastroschisis -- and U.S. Geological Survey databases of agricultural spraying between 2001 and 2006.
Using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards to define high chemical exposure levels in surface water, they found that the closer a mother lived to a site of high surface water contamination by atrazine, the more likely she was to deliver an infant with gastroschisis.
The birth defect occurred more often among infants who lived less than 25 km (about 15 miles) from one of these sites, and it occurred more often among babies conceived between March and May, when agricultural spraying is common.

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desmoinesdem :: Another study finds link between atrazine and birth defects

A separate study published last year in the medical journal Acta Paediatrica compared monthly concentrations of "nitrates, atrazine and other pesticides" in the U.S. water supply with birth defect rates over a seven-year period. The researchers found, "Elevated concentrations of agrichemicals in surface water in April-July coincided with higher risk of birth defects in live births with [last menstrual periods in] April-July." The association was found for "eleven of 22 birth defect subcategories" as well as for birth defects as a whole.

The European Union banned atrazine in 2003 because of groundwater contamination, but tens of millions of pounds of the chemical are still sprayed on American farms. It has been proven to enter the water supply and is correlated with increased rates of breast and prostate cancers.

During the Bush administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintained that atrazine had no detrimental effects in humans. But in a policy shift last October, the EPA announced that it would ask the independent Scientific Advisory Panel to conduct a thorough scientific review of atrazine's "potential cancer and non-cancer effects on humans," including "its potential association with birth defects, low birth weight, and premature births." The panel will also evaluate research on "atrazine's potential effects on amphibians and aquatic ecosystems." Conventional agriculture groups aren't waiting for the results of the review; they are already lobbying the EPA not to restrict or ban the use of atrazine.

I'd have more respect for the "pro-life" movement if they supported restrictions on chemicals that threaten babies in the womb. I don't think I have ever heard an anti-abortion activist railing against atrazine or pesticides that can cause spontaneous abortions, though.

Tags: pollution, Atrazine, birth defects, Cancer, EPA, (All Tags)

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Another study finds link between atrazine and birth defects | 6 comments

Agenda-driven attacks? (4.00 / 2)

Everybody here probably would agree with the lobby's call for science-based policy decisions.

This rhetoric has been a major tool used for some years by CropLife, Syngenta, and other pesticide vendors and lobby groups. A decision is science-based if it's in their favor, otherwise it's driven by some nefarious political agenda.

As if their efforts are neither political nor agenda-driven. What drivel.

The coalition of agriculture groups will be actively involved in the EPA re-evaluation of atrazine and will insist that transparent, peer-reviewed science utilizing accepted practices govern regulatory decision-making.

I certainly support transparent, peer-reviewed science. I'm not so much in favor of the accepted practices that have governed regulatory decision-making. Those have been and still are dismal.

"Extensive research conducted by scientists inside and outside the government have weighed all the data and concluded that it is safe for the environment, human health, and crop protection.

A problem with "all the data" is, there's too little of it. The SAP review is a good idea, but I wish more information was available. Too many necessary studies just have not been done. Some of the ones that have been done give reasons for concern.

I wonder who funded those studies that showed atrazine is safe for the environment and human health.

by: count @ Thu Feb 11, 2010 at 14:16:07 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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It doesn't help that in the Upper Midwest (4.00 / 3)

that the rain actually contains atrazine.

by: OrganicGeorge @ Thu Feb 11, 2010 at 14:49:02 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Will you substantiate that, (4.00 / 2)

please?

by: count @ Thu Feb 11, 2010 at 14:51:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

From Cornell... (4.00 / 2)

I don't know anything about it myself, but a Google search brought up a number of hits on "atrazine in rain". Here's a 'fact sheet' from Cornell University -

There is some information on the level of atrazine in rain. Atrazine has been detected in rain samples throughout the state of Iowa. Iowa is a corn producing state and uses atrazine heavily. Low levels of atrazine were detected in about a quarter of the rain samples collected. Concern has been expressed by the authors of this study that atrazine could be carried by rainfall to other sites, including organic farms.

That's from 1999, there may (or may not) be more information out there now...

Coming soon to a Philadelphia near you!

by: JayinPortland @ Thu Feb 11, 2010 at 16:00:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

2008 (4.00 / 2)

and...

Atrazine found in lakes far from farm sources
By DAVID SHAFFER, Star Tribune
September 21, 2008
The widely used weed-killer atrazine is showing up in pristine lakes in northern Minnesota far from farm country, and scientists believe the chemical is falling out of the sky.
In the first statewide study of pesticides in Minnesota lakes, government scientists discovered small amounts of atrazine in nine out of 10 lakes sampled, including some in or near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
...
The concentrations, in parts per trillion, are far below levels considered to be a risk to people, plants or animals, researchers and others said. The maximum level for atrazine in waterways is 10 parts per billion.

by: count @ Thu Feb 11, 2010 at 17:28:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, why aren't the "pro-lifers" targeting atrazine... (4.00 / 3)

Oh yes, I forgot... Most of them are also teabaggers whose "Tea Party Express" buses are paid for Big PhRMA and Big Ag. It's funny (not in a good way) to see how they never whine about the "death panels" happening in the corporate board rooms as the execs decide to use more of these lethal chemicals on their factory farms.

Act on Principles and make equality happen.

by: atdleft @ Thu Feb 11, 2010 at 17:52:17 PM UTC

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Another study finds link between atrazine and birth defects | 6 comments