Airborne Pesticides from Agricultural Practices: A Critical Review of Pathways, Influencing Factors, and Human Health Implications

Abstract

This critical review examines the release of pesticides from agricultural practices into the air, with a focus on volatilization, and the factors influencing their dispersion. The review delves into the effects of airborne pesticides on human health and their contribution to anthropogenic air pollution. It highlights the necessity of interdisciplinary research encompassing science, technology, public policy, and agricultural practices to effectively mitigate the risks associated with pesticide volatilization and spray dispersion. The text acknowledges the need for more research to understand the fate and transport of airborne pesticides, develop innovative application technologies, improve predictive modeling and risk assessment, and adopt sustainable pest management strategies. Robust policies and regulations, supported by education, training, research, and development, are crucial to ensuring the safe and sustainable use of pesticides for human health and the environment. By providing valuable insights, this review aids researchers and practitioners in devising effective and sustainable solutions for safeguarding human health and the environment from the hazards of airborne pesticides.

The function of microbial enzymes in breaking down soil contaminated with pesticides: a review

“…Figure 3 depicts the various mechanisms involved in pesticide breakdown and transfer processes, as well as the ultimate fate of pesticide compounds following the processes. Pesticide transport in soil systems is often driven by erosion and leaching [ 6 – 8 ]. Erosion is the movement of soil particles by wind and water, allowing pesticides to adhere to or desorb from soil particles.…”

“…Erosion is the movement of soil particles by wind and water, allowing pesticides to adhere to or desorb from soil particles. Leaching is the gravitational migration of pesticides in the soil via pores and fractures, allowing pesticides to move deeper and reach the groundwater [ 7 , 8 ]. Furthermore, pesticides are deposited in the atmosphere as a consequence of application drift, wind erosion of treated soil, and post-application vapor loss [ 8 ].…”

“…Pesticide activity in soil is influenced by a number of complicated dynamic physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms. Once applied, pesticides may enter the atmosphere, adsorb in soil, leach into water, undergo microbiological degradation, and photodegradation [ 5 , 8 , 10 , 18 ]. Pesticides adhere to soil particles through adsorption and sorption is often used to describe the attraction of a chemical to soil [ 8 , 13 ].…”

“…The widespread contamination emphasizes how crucial sustainable pesticide management techniques are to reducing environmental damage. Pesticide residues and their metabolites may be transported to various environmental compartments [ 8 ], impacting non-targeted creatures such as aquatics, birds, and other organisms in soil and water bodies [ 7 ]. Most pesticides' persistent and bioaccumulative properties arouse public health concerns since the active compounds in pesticides might be poisonous and fatal to non-target organisms [ 3 , 5 – 7 ].…”

“…The toxicity of pesticide residue in diverse environmental compartments may be shown by the instance of pesticide poisoning, which is estimated to cause 1 million fatalities and chronic diseases worldwide each year [ 5 ]. Because plants or crops acquire their necessary nutrients from the soil, there is a potential for vegetation to absorb harmful pesticide chemicals from the soil [ 8 ] and their presence as residues in human meals [ 1 , 3 , 7 ]. In terms of health hazards, pesticide residues in food and water have been linked to dizziness, breathing problems, neurotoxicity, and chronic poisoning-related disorders such as cancer and mortality rates [ 3 ].…”