(Beyond Pesticides, September 17, 2025) A study in Environmental Science & Technology finds additive effects of a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide (cypermethrin) and two fungicides (azoxystrobin and prochloraz) on biological control, biomass of major invertebrate trophic groups (position in food web), and soil ecosystem processes in arable systems (land suitable for growing crops). The study authors further highlight the failure of pesticide regulations to consider elaborate trophic interactions and pesticide mixtures, as well as additive and synergistic effects within their assessments, calling attention to the complexity of real-world exposures and the lack of research to fully understand the implications of chemical use for agricultural and land management purposes. “Arable systems have a high dependence on diverse natural biota to support pest control, soil bioturbation, and nutrient recycling,” the researchers write. These communities rely on a balance of organisms within various trophic levels in order to function and provide vital ecosystem services. Disruptions caused by environmental contaminants, such as pesticides to nontarget organisms, impact entire ecosystems and overall biodiversity. As the authors state, current risk assessments underestimate the real-world risks of petrochemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers that, despite a wide body of science connecting exposure to deleterious health and environmental effects, are […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 12, 2025) A team of Argentinian researchers conducted a study published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology of the combined effects of the herbicide glyphosate and the pyrethroid insecticide cypermethrin. The researchers observed significantly higher apoptosis in cells exposed to the mixtures than to the individual pesticides—a synergistic response. Apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death, is a standard way that tissues handle damaged cells to remove threats to their function. The researchers sought to investigate the cellular toxicity of each chemical, individually and in combination, and assessed whether the effects of the mixture were additive or synergistic. Additive effects occur when two individual chemicals amplify the same sort of response, often because the chemicals have similar structures. Synergism can occur when chemicals have different mechanisms of action but work together to create more powerful effects. Mixtures of pesticides are the least-studied area of research conducted for regulatory purposes. While regulators provide instructions to applicators regarding which pesticides can be applied together and combined in tank mixtures, there is no control over how pesticides travel through the environment once applied, as they flow through the air as spray drift, lodge in soils and water, and are incorporated into […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 15, 2025) In analyzing the data present in an article in Data in Brief, concerning levels of pesticide biomarkers are present in the urine of adolescents and young adults that are linked to numerous health implications. The biomonitoring data, collected at two time points from participants in a longitudinal cohort study in the agricultural county of Pedro Moncayo, Ecuador, encompasses a total of 23 compounds used as herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides and their associated metabolites (breakdown products), which include organophosphates, pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids. The results highlight the disproportionate risks to a Latin American population that occur as a result of living in areas with heavy chemical-intensive agriculture. “This article presents urinary pesticide metabolite concentrations for 665 participants in the ‘Study of Secondary Exposure to Pesticides among Children, Adolescents, and Adults’ (ESPINA), which were collected during two follow-up assessments,” the authors describe. The first sampling period from July to October 2016, referred to as Follow-up Year [FUY]-8b, includes 529 of the participants, while the second sampling period from July to September 2022 (FUY-14a) includes 505 of the participants. All participants are within the agricultural community of Pedro Moncayo. As the authors note, “The ESPINA study aimed to include […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 8, 2025) In a study published in Environmental Pollution, researchers have detected eighty pesticides (35 insecticides, 29 fungicides, and 11 herbicides, and metabolites) in the ambient air of a rural region of Spain (Valencia) between 2007 and 2024. Despite these dramatic findings, the authors conclude that there is “no [observable] cancer risk,” “no inhalation risk for adults,” and only one pesticide concentration (the insecticide chlorpyrifos) showing “a potential risk to toddlers.” However, the authors did not conduct an aggregate risk assessment that would typically consider all routes of exposure to the individual pesticides detected, including through water, food, and landscapes. Not considered by the authors are the potential effects of pesticide mixtures and full pesticide product formulations (with all potentially toxic ingredients), also a deficiency in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration of pesticides under federal law. Of concern, as well, are other contaminants in pesticide products, including but not limited to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals, plastics (including microplastics), which contribute to chronic diseases and health risks, and adverse effects to ecosystem stability exacerbated by the climate crisis. Background and Methodology “This work aims to conduct a further study on the situation of […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 31, 2025) A study published in Environmental Advances finds that hundreds of honeybee hives across central and northern Italy are contaminated with various pesticides and their metabolites, including glyphosate and fosetyl.  “There was no significant difference in glyphosate presence between dead/dying and live bees, suggesting chronic exposure rather than acute toxicity. However, higher pesticide concentrations in dead/dying bees indicate potential sublethal effects contributing to colony distress,” according to the authors. This peer-reviewed study builds on the mounting evidence outlined in the literature connecting pesticide residues to nontarget harm to pollinators and other insects and animals that are critical to biodiversity. Background and Methodology “The primary objectives of this study were to develop and validate a reliable, sensitive method for analyzing polar pesticides [highly soluble in water] in honeybees and to investigate polar pesticides residue levels in honeybees across northern and central Italy,” say the researchers of this study, who conduct research at the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini”, Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Umbria and Marche “Togo Rosati”, and Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lazio and Tuscany “M. Aleandri.” 314 honeybee samples were gathered voluntarily from local beekeepers in six regions of northern and […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 16, 2025) A study following a mass mortality event of approximately 200 monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus plexippus) in Pacific Grove, California, highlights the role of pesticides, synthetic pyrethroids in particular, in causing lethal and sublethal effects to nontarget organisms. The research, published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, detects residues of 15 pesticides and associated metabolites in the bodies of 10 deceased butterflies collected from the January 2024 event that occurred near an overwintering site frequented by monarchs. “On average, each monarch butterfly contained 7 pesticides,” the authors report. They continue, “Notably, three pyrethroid insecticides—bifenthrin, cypermethrin, and permethrin—were consistently detected at or near each chemical’s lethal dose (LD50).” LC50, or Lethal Concentration 50, values represent the concentrations of chemicals lethal to 50% of a test population. To assess pesticide residues within ten of the deceased butterflies, the researchers use liquid and gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) and find “a total of 15 pesticides and associated metabolites in the butterflies, including 8 insecticides (plus 1 associated metabolite), 2 herbicides (plus 2 associated metabolites), and 2 fungicides.” The study “present[s] evidence that the mortality incident at the Pacific Grove Monarch overwintering site was likely caused by […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 1, 2025) Published in Water Research, a study highlights the various routes for pesticide contamination, with the results identifying the presence of over 80 substances in streams without adjacent agricultural land use. “Our findings underscore the necessity of further investigating the non-agricultural entry pathways of pesticides and biocides to effectively mitigate their impacts on streams in non-agricultural catchments,” the authors state. They continue, “These streams often serve as critical refuge habitats and sources of recolonization, making their protection essential for biodiversity conservation.” In analyzing nonagricultural streams, the researchers find pesticide contamination that, while lower than levels found in streams directly next to agricultural land, can occur through various routes and threatens biodiversity in essential ecosystems. As the authors describe: “Although pesticide concentrations were lower than in agricultural streams, the potential toxicity of pesticides was associated with a significant reduction in sensitive insect populations, as indicated by the SPEARpesticides index. Notably, 40% of the studied streams did not achieve a good status according to the pesticide specific SPEARpesticides indicator.” The SPEARpesticides indicator is used “to identify pesticide effects on the aquatic invertebrate community. It measures the abundance of pesticide-sensitive species (“species at risk”) in relation to the abundance […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 11, 2025) Researchers developed a novel tool* in a recent study published in Nature Communications this year that successfully creates a map of the “pesticide-gut microbiota-metabolite network,” identifying “significant alterations in gut bacteria metabolism.” While the study authors acknowledge that this is not a complete map, since they selected specific pesticides and bacterial partners, the research adds to the body of peer-reviewed scientific literature that underscores the relationship between pesticide residues and human gut health. Organic farmers, as well as any land steward invested in agroecological practices and soil health, understand that microbial life (both in the body and in the soil) is dangerously undermined by the status quo of chemical-intensive land management. Background and Methodology The researchers leverage mass spectrometry to test metabolite (metabolomics) and lipid (lipidomics) relationships with pesticide residues, as well as an in vivo mouse model. *The map itself is a form of computational biology, which advocates have warned could be a false solution if not accompanied by other proven scientific methods. See here for analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council on risks of unproven methods such as New Approach Methodologies [NAMs]. All major phylogenetic (“evolutionary relationships among biological entities”) groups are […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 4, 2025) A new study published in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology finds that “higher pesticide exposure was significantly associated with elevated blood pressure and greater risks of hypertension.” More specifically, “[t]he results indicated that exposure to PNP [para-nitrophenol/parathion] and 2,4-D may contribute to an increased risk of hypertension.” According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly half of U.S. adults have hypertension, which can lead to increased risk for stroke and heart disease, two of the top causes of mortality in the nation. Amid worsening public health concerns, with young generations facing an increase in heart failure (see here for the Duke University School of Medicine analysis), advocates continue to call for the transformation of the food system, including increased access and production of whole-based organic food. Background Information and Methodology The authors of this community-based, case-control study are researchers at the Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the School of Public Health at Southern Medical University, both located in Guangzhou, China. The study included 360 participants, consisting of 180 hypertension cases and 180 non-cases (“normotensive individuals”) within China’s National Essential Public Health Services Program. All participants were over […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 29, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, “investigates genotoxic effects on farmers in Paraíba, Brazil, analyzing buccal mucosa cells [cells from inside the cheek] for DNA and cellular damage,” the authors write. In comparing data from 33 pesticide-exposed agricultural workers to 29 unexposed people in a control group, the researchers report that the “findings revealed significantly higher frequencies of cellular alterations and DNA damage among exposed farmers relative to the control group, with no significant impact from factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or family cancer history.” They continue, “These results underscore the genotoxic risks linked to prolonged pesticide exposure and highlight the necessity for stricter regulatory measures.” As Beyond Pesticides documents in Disproportionate Pesticide Hazards to Farmworkers and People of Color Documented… Again, farmworkers have been excluded from labor and occupational safety protection laws since their inception. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defers all policy on pesticide protections to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has been widely criticized for providing inadequate worker protection standards. This study focuses on workers in Brazil, but represents issues that impact communities worldwide. “The agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in Brazil’s economy, encompassing […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 29, 2025) A study in Environment International finds pesticide-induced alterations in the gut microbiota of a farmland raptor species. In collecting blood and cloacal samples from Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus) nestlings, the authors “shed light on an overlooked collateral effect of pesticides, i.e., a general modification of gut bacterial assemblages,” which can lead to an imbalance of microorganisms (dysbiosis) and the promotion of potential pathogens, as well as negatively impact the health of birds of prey. “Additionally, our findings support the ‘One Health‘ framework, stressing the interconnectedness of wildlife, ecosystem, and human health, particularly in pesticide-affected agricultural areas,” the researchers share. “The gut microbiota is crucial for host health and can be impacted by various environmental disruptions, yet the effects of multiple pesticide exposures on farmland organisms’ microbiomes remain largely unexplored,” the authors state. In the study, they “assessed microbiota changes in a wild apex predator exposed to multiple pesticides in agricultural landscapes,” which “provides evidence of pesticide impacts on wildlife gut microbiota, highlighting links between pesticide exposure and changes in microbiota composition,” the researchers note. The Montagu’s harrier, as an apex predator, serves as a ‘bio-sentinel’ or bioindicator species for assessing ecosystem health. “As top-level predators […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 23, 2025) Recent reviews of scientific literature, in both Chemosphere and Reports in Public Health, associate Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease globally, with pesticide exposure. “Given the pervasive nature of pesticide residues in everyday food consumption and inadequate monitoring of their long-term toxicological impacts, the role of pesticide exposure as a modifiable risk factor for neurological disorders, including PD, warrants urgent attention,” the researchers state in the article in Chemosphere. In describing the history of Parkinson’s and previous research, the authors in Reports in Public Health note that while PD etiology is not fully understood, it is a multifactorial disease. “Hereditary factors are present in approximately 10% of diagnosed cases of Parkinson’s disease, presenting early onset; while the other 90% of cases are categorized as idiopathic or sporadic Parkinson’s disease, occurring in older individuals and may be associated with exposure to environmental agents,” the researchers say. This disease, first described by English physician James Parkinson, M.D. in 1817, involves neurochemical changes that present as “the appearance of cardinal motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and rest tremor, which are essential for the clinical diagnosis of the disease,” the researchers note. The […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 8, 2025) A comprehensive literature review in Environment & Health analyzes evidence from human biomonitoring, epidemiological studies, and toxicological studies that link adverse effects on women’s reproductive health, specifically impacting the ovary, to pesticide exposure. In examining the scientific literature, consisting of over 200 studies performed in the last 25 years, the authors find pesticide exposure threatens women’s health through ovarian dysfunction. “Epidemiological studies have shown that pesticide exposures are associated with early/delayed menarche [first occurrence of menstruation], menstrual cycle disorders, early menopause, long time to pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome, primary ovarian insufficiency, infertility, and implantation failure in women,” the researchers state. They continue, “Both in vivo [in animals] and in vitro [in cells] studies have shown that exposure to pesticides disrupts the estrous cycle, reduces the follicle pool, alters hormone levels, and impairs oocyte [egg] maturation.” These reproductive implications are noted with many different classes of pesticides, such as insecticides, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphates (OPs), pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids, as well as herbicides and fungicides. The authors, however, comment on present research gaps: “Much of the available epidemiological evidence focuses on legacy insecticides, such as OCPs, and a subset of insecticides that are still in use […]

(Beyond Pesticides, February 11, 2025) In a Science of The Total Environment study, scientists test over 100 blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and great tit (Parus major) birds’ nests for pesticide residues in comparison with the number of dead offspring and unhatched eggs within the nest. Fur-lined nests, from animals treated with ectoparasitic chemicals, expose birds to compounds that can impact reproductive success. The authors found fipronil, a phenyl pyrazole insecticide, in all nests, with the majority also containing the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid and synthetic pyrethroid insecticide permethrin. The data shows higher insecticide levels are linked to increased offspring mortality and threaten biodiversity. This study highlights an important exposure route that is overlooked. “Although not all bird species use fur for nest building, a substantial number do, especially cavity-nesting species,” the researchers share. “Previous research found that 74% of studied woodland bird species in central Europe incorporated fur into their nests.” Many bird species in the U.S. also line their nests with fur, such as black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice, and chipping sparrows. While there is a wide body of science showing reproductive effects from pesticides, the researchers highlight the study’s novel design, saying, “To the best of our knowledge, no previous […]

(Beyond Pesticides, December 17, 2024) A systematic review of studies on pesticides as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on body weight, published in Biomedicines, evaluates 36 clinical and preclinical studies and links their agricultural use to obesity. The authors, with the lead researchers from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Catholic University of Valencia San Vincente, Valencia, Spain, assess studies on a range of pesticides, including organophosphates, pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, and others. In addition to concluding that the EDCs promote obesity, they report that the chemicals cause “other anthropometric changes by altering lipid and glucose metabolism, modifying genes, or altering hormone levels such as leptin.” Endocrine disruption and obesity are public health concerns, and there is a wide body of science linking pesticide exposure to these effects (see more here). “Obesity is considered to be a worldwide pandemic that leads to an increase in medical costs and thus becomes a public health problem,” the researchers share. They continue, “[Obesity] is also associated with the increased production of environmental chemicals, also called environmental obesogens, used mainly in agriculture, as disease vector control, helping to prevent harmful effects caused by fungi, bacteria, or even pests, using pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides, or endocrine disruptors […]

(Beyond Pesticides, December 12, 2024) A literature review of 161 articles in Discover Toxicology finds that pesticides with different mechanisms of action cause memory and learning impairments. These effects are noted in nontarget species including humans. Pesticide “[e]xposure during development, as well as chronic environmental and occupational exposure, can contribute to decreased cognitive performance,” the researchers say. With a focus on organophosphate pesticides, synthetic pyrethroids, and neonicotinoid insecticides, the authors highlight neurological impacts. Both learning and memory are crucial for the survival of many species. “Considering the importance of learning and memory for human and non-human animal behavior and the growing association between pesticide exposure and cognitive impairment, the aim of this review was to describe the studies showing the impact of pesticide exposure on memory and learning abilities in nontarget species, providing evidence of the impact of pesticides in central nervous system function,” the researchers state. The 161 articles included in the review were identified through database searches in PubMed/Medline and Scielo. The authors note, “Inclusion criteria for article selection included all articles published in English between 2015 and 2024 containing original studies in animals or humans with single or multiple pesticides exposure.” The articles consist of 132 preclinical […]

Image: Art Page submission from Sara Grantham, “Sunflower Pollinators”  (Beyond Pesticides, August 23, 2024) A study in Science of The Total Environment calculates and compares pesticide risk in 594 wild bee species associated with crops in North America. Current pesticide risk assessments that analyze effects on bees primarily focus on a limited subset of species and do not provide comprehensive protection of all wild bees. “Species commonly proposed as models for pesticide risk assessments may not accurately represent risk for those bee species facing the highest potential risk in agricultural contexts,” the authors postulate. The researchers continue, “This study presents a novel approach to characterize and compare the relative potential pesticide risk among wild bee species of their association with crops in North America using suites of intrinsic bee traits to quantify species’ vulnerability and extrinsic factors based on the toxic load of crops for bees and the strength of each species’ association with those crops.” In considering multiple factors that vary by species and determining potential harm to each from pesticide exposure, this study highlights the inadequacies of the current risk assessment process used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).    The system for risk assessment for pesticides that […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 21, 2024) A literature review, published this month in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, explores levels of pesticide residues found in samples of human urine with environmental exposure and dietary intake and confirms prior findings about the benefits of an organic diet. Similar to past findings, lower concentrations of chemicals are detected in the urine of participants who report eating an organic diet. By analyzing 72 scientific research studies published between 2001 to 2023, the review assesses routes of exposure and “explores urinary concentrations and detection frequency of metabolites of organophosphates and pyrethroids, as well as herbicides such as 2,4-D and glyphosate,” the authors say. While “exposure to pesticide residues is influenced by a variety of demographic factors, including occupation, agricultural practices, seasonal variations, residence, diet, age, and gender,” the authors say, the concentrations of pesticides and their metabolites in human urine highlights the disproportionate risk to certain groups as well as the overall threat to the health of humans and the environment. Pesticide exposure can occur from dermal/skin contact or inhalation, through residence or work, and with dietary intake. “Pesticides in urine can be detected as parent compounds, specific metabolites corresponding to a specific […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 14, 2024) Pesticide exposure is linked to negative birth outcomes in a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. This study adds to that body of science, but is novel research since, “Epidemiological studies of pesticide exposures and stillbirth in the United States have not been published in the past two decades, a time period that has seen dramatic changes in pesticide use compared to the 20th century,” the authors state. The study analyzes Arizona pesticide use records and birth certificates from 2006-2020. Researchers correlate mothers living within 500 meters of any pyrethroid, organophosphate (OP), or carbamate insecticide applications during specific windows before and during pregnancy with stillbirth. The authors focus on exposure during the prenatal period, as it is a susceptible time frame in which any contact with pesticides can negatively impact health. Numerous studies report several adverse birth and childhood outcomes with prenatal exposure. To link pesticide exposure and negative birth outcomes, Arizona records that encompass 1,237,750 births, 2,290 stillbirths, and 27 pesticides were analyzed. The authors “evaluate associations of pyrethroids, OPs, and carbamate insecticides with stillbirth by using data from the Arizona Pregnant women’s Environment and Reproductive outcomes Study (Az-PEARS), a project that […]

(Beyond Pesticides, June 5, 2024) Individuals living near chemical-intensive agricultural environments have heightened risk of Alzheimer’s disease relative to the general population, according to a study published earlier this year in Psychiatry Research. This finding builds on existing peer-reviewed studies that document the relationship between chronic pesticide exposure and elevated risk of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and Huntington’s disease. In light of the mountains of scientific evidence, advocates continue to demand for a wholesale transformation of agricultural and land management systems to one based in organic principles in alignment with the U.S. National Organic Program. Study Analysis This study was published online on May 1, 2024 with the full entry to be published in July 2024. The researchers are physicians, health professionals, and professors at the University of Almeria in southern Spain, specifically working in the Health Research Center and the Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine. There is also a researcher, Cristofer Ruiz-González, who works at the Torrecárdenas University Hospital also located in Almeria, Spain. Researchers gathered case information from over 40,000 patients between 2000 and 2021 living in demarcated health care districts with high and low levels of […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 10, 2024) A study published by scientists in France from La Rochelle University’s Chizé Center for Biological Studies, in collaboration with the University of Strasbourg and the University of Burgundy, finds lower pesticide load in chicks from a bird of prey species in areas with organic farming. A correlation between lower numbers of pesticides in the blood of birds with the presence of organic farms surrounding the habitats was determined after analyzing 55 Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus) nestlings from 22 different nests in southwestern France. As the percentage of organic agriculture around the nests increased, there was a significant decrease in the quantity and types of pesticides detected within the chicks’ blood.  In beginning this study, the scientists hypothesized that “the application of organic farming practices is expected to reduce contamination levels in the environment and consequently in wildlife.” They also referenced studies, such as a soil study, that aided in this speculation: “In an analysis of topsoil samples collected across Europe, samples from organic farms showed significantly fewer pesticide residues and in lower concentrations than those from conventional farms … [with] 70 to 90% lower concentrations.”   This study screened for 104 total compounds, 28 of which […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 7, 2024) As the threats to health, biodiversity, and climate converge in agricultural policy and practices, the question of defining the fundamental changes necessary to reverse these existential crises takes on life-sustaining importance. Despite the existence of an organic community with governing stakeholders (farmers, consumers, conservationists, retailers, processors, inspectors, and scientists) that has evolved over at least seven decades and is codified in the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990, the term “regenerative” is now increasingly being advanced as a loosely defined alternative to the organic standard and label, which is transparent, defined, certified, enforced, and subject to public input. The publication AgFunderNews (AFN) last month published its updated “2024 list of agrifood corporates making regenerative agriculture commitments,” a who’s who of the largest food and agribusiness corporations worldwide. The list includes companies such as ADM, Cargill, Danone, General Mills, Tyson, Unilever, Walmart, and more with commitments to millions of acres in their supply chain practicing “regenerative” agriculture with target dates ranging from 2024 to 2050. The AFN author reporting on the “regenerative” trend states, “[O]ne big challenge is that ‘regenerative agriculture’ still has no set definition. While that still holds true, the bigger observation in […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 26, 2024) In addition to maternal (mothers) exposure, children experience exposure to pyrethroid insecticides earlier in life as levels significantly increase post-natal (after birth), according to a study published in Frontiers in Public Health. This study is one of the few studies to investigate pyrethroid exposure concentrations in the urine of newborns and children within their first year of life. However, this research reiterates what many other studies demonstrate on pyrethroids’ impacts on children’s health, primarily due to their notorious neurotoxic properties. The findings indicate that exposure to pyrethroids during pregnancy and early childhood exposure has links to adverse health effects, including neurodevelopmental delays (e.g., autism), behavioral issues (e.g., attention deficit [hyperactivity] disorder), and endocrine disruption (e.g., delay in puberty). Pesticide exposure during pregnancy is of specific concern as health effects for all life stages can be long-lasting. Just as nutrients are transferable between mother and fetus, so are chemical contaminants. Studies find pesticide compounds in the mother’s blood can transfer to the fetus via the umbilical cord. Therefore, pesticide exposure during pregnancy affects both the mother and child’s health. Beyond Pesticides has covered a variety of pregnancy risks from pesticides and other toxic chemicals, including these in just […]