Chemical Pesticides

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. Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, and plant growth regulators are typical examples  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  Furthermore, there are other less known applications of these chemical substances, such as in pet shampoos building materials, and boat bottoms in order to eliminate or prevent the presence of unwanted species

Many of the pesticides have been associated with health and environmental issues , and the agricultural use of certain pesticides has been abandoned.. Exposure to pesticides can be through contact with the skin, ingestion, or inhalation. 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. Within a human or animal body, pesticides may be metabolized, excreted, stored, or bioaccumulated in body fat. 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. Furthermore, high occupational, accidental, or intentional exposure to pesticides can result in hospitalization and death .

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. Furthermore, it should be noted that washing and peeling cannot completely remove the residues. In the majority of cases, the concentrations do not exceed the legislatively determined safe levels . However, these “safe limits” may underestimate the real health risk as in the case of simultaneous exposure to two or more chemical substances, which occurs in real-life conditions and may have synergistic effects. Pesticides residues have also been detected in human breast milk samples, and there are concerns about prenatal exposure and health effects in children.

This current review aims at highlighting the urgent need for a new concept in agriculture involving a drastic reduction in the use of chemical pesticides. Given the fact that the health effects have been extensively discussed in the current literature, this paper focuses on the major chronic health effects and recent findings regarding health effects that have been associated with exposure to common classes of chemical pesticides, i.e., organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, triazines, and neonicotinoids. More emphasis is given to the widely used herbicide “glyphosate,” which is an organophosphate pesticide very closely related to current agriculture. The important health effects, as discussed below, reveal the urgent need for implementing alternative solutions.

Before you can appreciate what this career means to you or imagine yourself in the shoes of a current chemical engineer, you must first learn about it. Because if you do choose this career path, you ought to be able to envision yourself as a chemical engineer after four years. The chemical engineer career will take you down a different route than the one you started on. Please don’t be afraid; you can still succeed on that route.

A chemical engineer does not simply develop a chemical and release it into the world. They are the ones who put their skills and knowledge to work in areas such as clothing, food and beverages, toiletries, electricity, and so on. As an outcome, you’ll have a wide choice of possibilities following graduation. Within the first year after graduation, 40% of chemical engineering graduates are employed in engineering fields. Chemical development engineers are frequently employed by engineering consulting and contracting organizations.

After graduating from chemical engineering, you can work in areas that help control pollution, protection of the environment, conservation of energy, proper disposal of waste and recycling, finding alternate sources of energy, and so on. You also have options to take part in business roles and work in finance, administration, consultancy, or the legal field. It does not limit you to a specific sector of engineering. In 2019, there were approximately 32,600 chemical engineers employed in the US.

Is chemical engineering a good career?

Chemical engineering is among the eldest engineering disciplines. It’s one of those that can withstand fluctuations until the end of the world. This article is centered on a thorough explanation that will finally remove any concerns you might have about pursuing a career in this sector. Chemical engineering is an excellent career choice, in the most basic sense. Job prospects may not be as plentiful as in the IT field, but they exist for those with the skill set. Apart from that, one should know it is one of the harder disciplines, with a strong emphasis on math, physics, chemistry, and biology. So, before you go in, make sure you have a deeper understanding of these two points. When you’re unsure about the option in front of you, a simple yes won’t always suffice. When choosing a job path, you need to be more mindful of what you’re getting yourself into. Before you decide on this professional route, you must first address many critical questions, such as those listed below.