Pesticides and Water Pollution

Publication Year:

2016

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Affiliated Orgs.:

Resource Type:

Factsheet

Summary:

The term “pesticide” is a composite term that includes all chemicals that are used to kill or control pests. In agriculture, this includes herbicides (weeds), insecticides (insects), fungicides (fungi), nematocides (nematodes), and rodenticides (vertebrate poisons).

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Resource Information

Resource Type

Factsheet

Publication Year

2016

Author

Language

Organizational Affiliation

Specific Contaminants

Business Connect Takeaways

Pesticides can contaminate drinking water sources: The fact sheet explains that pesticides can enter drinking water sources through a variety of pathways, including runoff from agricultural fields, leaching from contaminated soil, and direct application to water bodies.

Pesticides can pose health risks to humans: The fact sheet notes that exposure to pesticides through drinking water can pose a range of health risks, including acute effects such as nausea and vomiting, as well as chronic effects such as cancer and reproductive problems.

Treatment can help remove pesticides from drinking water: The fact sheet explains that treatment technologies such as activated carbon filtration and reverse osmosis can be effective in removing pesticides from drinking water. The fact sheet notes that it is important to properly maintain and monitor treatment systems to ensure that they are functioning effectively.