Residues of pesticides can be found in a great variety of everyday foods and beverages, including for instance cooked meals, water, wine, fruit juices, refreshments, and animal feeds ( 32– 39). Furthermore, high occupational, accidental, or intentional exposure to pesticides can result in hospitalization and death ( 1, 31). The numerous negative health effects that have been associated with chemical pesticides include, among other effects, dermatological, gastrointestinal, neurological, carcinogenic, respiratory, reproductive, and endocrine effects ( 1, 2, 8, 10, 14– 30). Within a human or animal body, pesticides may be metabolized, excreted, stored, or bioaccumulated in body fat ( 1, 2, 13). The type of pesticide, the duration and route of exposure, and the individual health status (e.g., nutritional deficiencies and healthy/damaged skin) are determining factors in the possible health outcome. Exposure to pesticides can be through contact with the skin, ingestion, or inhalation. Many of the pesticides have been associated with health and environmental issues ( 1, 2, 7– 12), and the agricultural use of certain pesticides has been abandoned ( 2). Furthermore, there are other less known applications of these chemical substances, such as in pet shampoos ( 4), building materials, and boat bottoms in order to eliminate or prevent the presence of unwanted species ( 6). These products are also used for other purposes, such as the improvement and maintenance of non-agricultural areas like public urban green areas and sport fields ( 4, 5). Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, and plant growth regulators are typical examples ( 1– 3). Pesticides are substances or mixtures of substances that are mainly used in agriculture or in public health protection programs in order to protect plants from pests, weeds or diseases, and humans from vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, and schistosomiasis. It is more obvious than ever that the society needs the implementation of a new agricultural concept regarding food production, which is safer for man and the environment, and to this end, steps such as the declaration of Nyéléni have been taken. The urgent need for a more sustainable and ecological approach has produced many innovative ideas, among them agriculture reforms and food production implementing sustainable practice evolving to food sovereignty. However, due to their known ability to cause a large number of negative health and environmental effects, their side effects can be an important environmental health risk factor. Pesticides are agrochemicals used in agricultural lands, public health programs, and urban green areas in order to protect plants and humans from various diseases. The industrialization of the agricultural sector has increased the chemical burden on natural ecosystems.
2Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), Mol, Belgium.1Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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