Forget the plastic surgeon: Herbicide Atrazine causes sex change in amphibians

By mariabooker on Fri, May 28, 2010 at 10:34 am

The study in PNAS concludes that the chemical may be contributing to the drastic decline in amphibian[image-1] populations: The Global Amphibian Assessment reports that there are 1,856 total species of amphibians, 603 species are “globally threatened,” 435 species are in rapid decline, 113 species are considered extinct, and 9 species have been confirmed extinct since 1980.

Of course, Atrazine is not wholly responsible for the decline of our slimy friends; other factors include habitat destruction, increased UV levels from the sun, fungus, disease, and predators.

The global decline in amphibians may not be entirely attributed to the increase in amphibian females, but chemical companies are continuing to provide the public with more and more reasons to eat organic, pesticide-free foods.

A recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that ten percent of amphibians that were exposed to the herbicide Atrazine during larval development were completely chemically castrated and transformed into functional females that were able to reproduce.

Farmers use approximately 80 million pounds of Atrazine on an annual basis, making it the second most common chemical compound used as a weed killer. It is used on corn, sugar, sorghum, guava, hay, and macadamia nuts.

Aside from food, Atrazine is commonly used in residential yard applications, and has been found to exceed the drinking water EPA maximum contaminant level in approximately 200 communities. The EU banned Atrazine use in 2005.

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