(Beyond Pesticides, September 10, 2025) Published earlier this year, a review of over 1,700 studies in Nature Communications finds pesticides affect a diverse range of nontarget organisms and contribute to global biodiversity loss. The authors* reveal “negative responses of the growth, reproduction, behaviour and other physiological biomarkers within terrestrial and aquatic systems” for nontarget plants, animals, and microorganisms. “To our knowledge, there has been no systematic and overarching synthesis of how different types of pesticides affect the diversity of multiple non-target eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms across all trophic levels,” the researchers write. They continue, “Furthermore, current syntheses have not considered how the impacts of pesticides differ globally across climatic zones or for major mechanisms of exposure, such as those acting in aquatic or terrestrial environments.” In particular, pesticide regulatory risk assessments analyze a limited range of model species, including rats, zebrafish, clawed frogs, honeybees, and earthworms, among others. As such, they are unlikely to capture the variety of responses to pesticide exposure seen across the diversity of species and communities found in both managed and natural systems,” the authors state. *Authors include Beyond Pesticides 2023 National Forum speaker Dave Goulson—see the Daily News on his keynote address here. Research Results […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 5, 2025) A study in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry finds permethrin, a commonly used synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, to be disruptive to the gut microbiome, altering microbiota and leading to increased formation of fat cells (adipogenesis) and metabolic disorders. With an aim to “comprehensively elucidate the effects of permethrin on gut microbiota, lipogenesis, and the associated molecular mechanisms,” the study explores the adverse effects of permethrin exposure in adult mice through multiple experiments. “Our study provides the first in vivo [in a living organism] evidence suggesting a potentially causal relationship between permethrin exposure and the development of obesity, potentially mediated by specific gut microbiota-derived metabolites,” the researchers explain. They continue, “Notably, this work is the first to define a distinct microbiota−metabolite−host axis as a critical mediator of environmental toxicant-induced metabolic dysfunction.” Permethrin is widely used as an insecticide on crops, such as cotton, corn, and wheat, as well as on livestock, in indoor and outdoor areas, and for treating lice and scabies. Mosquito abatement programs often utilize permethrin, further adding to the various exposure routes of this neurotoxic chemical. (See additional uses and health effects of permethrin in Beyond Pesticides’ Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 4, 2025) A review of agricultural neonicotinoid insecticide regulations, published in Pest Management Science, evaluates the varied approaches being taken for bans and exemption-based restrictions in the European Union (EU), Canada, and the United States (U.S.). Despite an ever-growing and overwhelming body of science linking neonicotinoids (neonics) to adverse effects on pollinators and other nontarget species, the regulations fall short in protecting the environment and wildlife. The review, with the history and current status of neonics, lends further support for a full transition to organic agriculture and land management that removes neonicotinoid exposure routes and subsequent health threats. With the application of this widely used class of neurotoxic system insecticides increasing, so too has the concern over the long-term chronic effects on pollinators and other species from exposure. This concern, backed by scientific literature, has “led to increased governmental regulations since the mid-2010s, particularly in agricultural settings,” state the authors from Iowa State University and Washington State University. They continue, “These regulations have varied in terms of approach, geography, and timeline, starting with a ban implemented by the European Union (EU) and evolving into exemption-based regulations across two Canadian provinces and five U.S. states as of this […]

(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 12, 2025) Last week on August 9, the United Nations observed International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a critical acknowledgement of Indigenous “food sovereignty, food security, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience,” as outlined in the report of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Eighteenth Session (July 14–18, 2025). As the report states, under Article 20 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, “Indigenous Peoples possess distinct economic systems rooted in traditional knowledge, practices and resources and have the right to sustain, strengthen and develop these systems in accordance with their cultures, traditions, values and aspirations.” It continues, “When deprived of their means of subsistence and development, this article provides that Indigenous Peoples are entitled to just and fair redress.” In a statement recognizing the importance of the day, Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, Albert K. Barume, focuses on the need for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to recognize that, “Indigenous Peoples have long been stewards of knowledge, biodiversity, and sustainable living [and] [w]ithout their meaningful participation, AI systems risk perpetuating historical injustices and deepening the violation of their rights.” Meanwhile, the current U.S. administration has shifted away from federal […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 7, 2025) The novel study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology is the largest investigation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in women to date, finding evidence of heightened risks when exposed to insecticides through data collected from over 400 eligible women in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS). AHS participants include a cohort of thousands of licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses from Iowa and North Carolina, with this particular study as the first to consider the link between pesticide exposure and RA as it affects women’s health.   “Growing evidence suggests farming and agricultural pesticide use may be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but few studies have examined specific pesticides and RA among farm women, who may personally use pesticides or be indirectly exposed,” the study authors explain. The findings reveal that organochlorine insecticides that continue to persist in the environment, as well as organophosphate and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides used in public health or residential settings, correlate with RA diagnoses in women.  As shared in previous Daily News, for the most part organochlorine pesticides, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), are no longer used worldwide, but the legacy of their poisoning and contamination persists. These compounds are primarily made up of chlorine atoms, […]

(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 17, 2025) The widespread use of pesticides year-after-year, decade-after-decade, has been found to lead to unintended consequences not only for public health but also for broader ecosystem stability and biodiversity. These impacts include potential nontarget harm through adverse developmental and reproductive effects on the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, the subject of a peer-reviewed study in Royal Society Open Science. The authors, who studied the organochlorine fungicide chlorothalonil, conclude, “Chlorothalonil exposure decreases larval survival, extends developmental duration and reduces fecundity.” “Even at the lowest tested concentration, chlorothalonil exposure resulted in reduced body weight, ovariole count and egg production compared with non-exposed individuals,” the researchers find. This study builds upon years of scientific research findings and critiques of existing federal pesticide law, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) failure to fully assess the adverse impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem stability during the pesticide registration review process. Methodology and Background The goal of this study is to evaluate the health impacts on a nontarget insect species (Drosophila melanogaster) from chronic exposure to chlorothalonil. This specific fungicide was chosen for various reasons, including its wide use across cereals, vegetables, and fruits; evidence linked to adverse health effects on […]

(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 15, 2025) A study published in Environmental Science and Technology finds that there are 47 current-use pesticides—products with active ingredients that are currently registered with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) —detected in samples of indoor dust, drinking water, and urine from households in Indiana. This study builds on existing scientific literature documenting the public health threat of nonoccupational, indoor pesticide exposure. (See previous Daily News here, here, and here.) The study is a reminder that pesticides move into the indoor environment through the air, and on clothing, making exposure more widespread than the assumptions used in regulatory reviews. Background and Methodology “In this study, we collected matched samples of indoor dust, drinking water, and urine from 81 households in Indiana, United States, and analyzed these samples for 82 CUPs [current use pesticides], including 48 insecticides, 25 herbicides, and 9 fungicides,” say the authors. They continue: “Of these, 47 CUPs were identified across samples of indoor dust, drinking water, and urine with median total CUP (∑CUP) concentrations of 18 300 ng/g, 101 ng/L, and 2.93 ng/mL, respectively.” The herbicides (13) detected include 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), Alachlor, Atrazine, CIAT (Desethyl-atrazine), Diuron, Metolachlor, Metolachlor OA (Oxanilic acid), OIAT (2-Hydroxy-4-isopropylamino-6-amino-s-triazine), OIET […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 11, 2025) Pesticides and antibiotics are linked inextricably in the looming crisis of human and ecosystem health. Both started out as quasi-miraculous solutions to age-old human problems, yet it has been clear that the failures of each present severe challenges—and that they are synergistic because they trigger the same kinds of defensive mechanisms in their targets: insects, fungi, and weeds on the one hand, and microbes on the other. A review of contamination of waterways in India with pesticides and antibiotics, published in Environmental and Geochemical Health, recounts the many threats that arise when these chemicals mix and how their presence in water makes the problems much worse.    Globally, about five million people died in 2019 from infections with antibiotic-resistant microbes. By 2050, according to a World Bank estimate, antibiotic resistance could add $1 trillion to global health care costs and subtract $3.4 trillion from annual global gross domestic product. While the world slowly realizes the urgent need to counter antibiotic resistance, the role of pesticides in generating it has received less political and public attention. But there is no doubt that pesticides are strongly implicated. In fact, the resistance of microbes to antibiotics is no […]

(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, June 3, 2025) Chemical contaminants in wastewater have long been of concern, especially given the significant costs of upgrading wastewater treatment facilities to remove existing and emerging chemicals. In advancing chemical safety, one of the many regulatory determinations that Beyond Pesticides advocates for, prior to the allowance of any toxic chemical use, is the establishment of a realistic cleanup or disposal strategy. Yet, a plethora of petrochemical pesticides flood the market and contaminate the air, soil, water, and crops before poisoning humans and wildlife. A study in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering uses the detectable levels of metabolites (breakdown products) of pesticides in wastewater to gauge exposure to populations living near flower bulb fields throughout the Netherlands. Wastewater samples were collected from five wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in different parts of the Netherlands, with two of the locations (Tollebeek and Lisse) located near flower bulb fields and the other three representing control areas. The study finds that higher levels of chemicals correlate with proximity to agricultural fields and present a heightened health risk. The authors describe wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) as a complementary approach to human biomonitoring that they use “to assess the spatial differences in human […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 15, 2025) The United Nations’ Conference of Parties (COP) for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), originally adopted by 128 countries in 2001, voted to move the highly neurotoxic organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos, linked to brain damage in children, to Annex A (Elimination) with exemptions on a range of crops, control for ticks for cattle, and wood preservation, according to the POPs Review Committee. The exemptions drew criticism from groups seeking to eliminate chlorpyrifos without exemptions, as had been originally proposed. In the world of pesticide restrictions, this POPs classification marks a step forward in the international regulation of chlorpyrifos, as the U.S. sits on the sidelines. The long effort to ban this one hazardous pesticide, as important as the action is, serves as a reminder of the limitations of a whack-a-mole approach to chemical regulation of the thousands of toxic products poisoning people and the planet, filled with compromises to public health and the environment—while alternative practices and materials are available to meet productivity, profitability, and quality of life goals. According to Down to Earth, the 18 specific crop and use exemptions include the following: Barley (termites), Cabbage (diamondback moth), Cacao (cacao-mosquitoes and cacao pod […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 17, 2025) A literature review in Reproductive Sciences finds glyphosate (GLY) and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) impact women’s reproductive health, adding to the long list of documented harm from this widely used weed killer. The authors note, “Considering the widespread use of GLY, the controversy regarding its endocrine-disrupting potential and reproductive toxicity, and the innumerable lawsuits filed against Bayer and Monsanto by consumers for morbidities related to Roundup™ exposure, the purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature on the potential adverse effects of GLY and GBHs on the female reproductive tract and discuss possible clinical implications on reproductive health outcomes, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and female fertility.”  Glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), the primary metabolite (breakdown product) of GLY, are found throughout the environment in soil and water, as well as in samples of blood, urine, seminal plasma, and breast milk. Studies have detected residues in farmworkers, as well as “in the urine of 60–80% of the general public in the USA, including pregnant women and children.” (See studies here, here, and here.) The ubiquitous use of GLY and GBH, and subsequent persistence, threatens the health and well-being of all.  Previous studies have […]

(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, April 2, 2025) In examining prenatal residential proximity of documented pesticide spraying in California to the menstrual cycle characteristics of 273 Latina adolescents, researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology a positive association between exposure to the insecticide methomyl and heavy bleeding. Other pesticides appear to influence menstrual symptoms as well. “Adolescents’ menstrual cycle characteristics can be ‘vital signs’ of health and impact quality of life,” the authors share. They continue, “To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the association between prenatal pesticide exposure and menstrual outcomes in adolescents of any demographic group.” Menstrual cycle characteristics, such as dysmenorrhea (painful or uncomfortable menstrual cramps), irregularity, and heavy menstrual bleeding, can also be indicators of underlying health conditions, including endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid dysfunction, and bleeding disorders. By associating the pesticide exposure of mothers during pregnancy to impacts on their children, the researchers highlight important health risks for women and young girls that are often disregarded. “The prenatal period is a critical period of reproductive development that may be particularly sensitive to endocrine disruption,” the researchers share. As previously reported by Beyond Pesticides, endocrine-disrupting chemicals are any synthetic or natural compounds that hinder […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 11, 2025) A study in Toxics analyzes ipconazole, a triazole fungicide often used as a coating on treated seeds and as a foliar treatment on the leaves of plants. “Triazole pesticides are widely used throughout the world, but their abuse causes toxic effects in non-targeted organisms,” the researchers state. In the current study, unintended reproductive effects are noted in male sheep (ram) and pigs (also known as porcine or swine). This research focuses on the impact of ipconazole exposure on spermatozoa (sperm) in two mammal species and finds spermiotoxicity through significantly reduced sperm viability, as well as alterations in enzyme and gene expression related to fertility.  “To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of the triazole ipconazole on mammalian spermatozoa,” the authors share. This analysis utilizes semen samples from the Reproductive Biotechnology Laboratory of the Major National University of San Marcos in Lima, Peru, the university where six of the nine researchers are Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.   “The sperm were exposed to ipconazole concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 µM, and to a control without ipconazole,” they say. Similar concentrations have been used in previous cytotoxicity studies with ipconazole. […]

(Beyond Pesticides, February 28, 2025) It is well established that children are more vulnerable than adults to environmental insults such as pesticides, from conception onward. Children living in agricultural areas are exposed differently from those in urban areas. A study of rural children by researchers at Mexico’s Universidad Atónoma de Nayarit compared two communities located less than a quarter of a mile from agricultural fields with one control community located more than a mile away. The study shows that children in the field-adjacent towns are clearly exposed to pesticides and are experiencing cellular distress as a result. The state of Nayarit is on the west coast of Mexico near Mazatlan. Rural children encounter aerial application, spray drift, and erosion. If their parents are agricultural workers and especially if they apply pesticides, they bring home residues on their clothes. Residential storage of pesticides and small children’s propensity to play in the dirt and put things in their mouths exacerbate their exposure. Urban children get hit by pesticides in their homes, schools, and parks. The researchers took blood and urine samples from 431 children aged six to 12 and collected questionnaires as to pesticide exposures from the parents or guardians. They assayed the […]

(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, February 7, 2025) With the strong associations established in epidemiologic studies and a dearth of evidence on the actual mechanisms by which pesticides inflict their damage on the brain, a new meta-analysis identifies studies that pesticides can overwhelm cells’ defenses against them, interfere with cell communication in the brain, and disrupt the epigenetic (gene function) regulation of gene expression. In the journal Nucleus, Bilal Ahmad Mir, PhD and colleagues at the University of Kashmir in Srinagar, India, review what is known at the molecular level about pesticides’ role in brain cancer. Brain cancer is a heavy burden for its victims and their families, and attributing a cause is, as with many diseases, fraught with difficulty. But there are strong clues: For example, farming is a known risk factor. In a 2021 meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies between 1998 and 2019, analyzed here by Beyond Pesticides, farming was associated with a 13% increase in the risk of brain cancer. For farmers whose specific exposure to pesticides was documented in the studies, the increase jumped to 20 percent. So there is some reason to point a finger at synthetic chemicals. But agricultural workers are not the only ones at risk. According […]