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Toxicity of the herbicides used on herbicide-tolerant crops, and societal consequences of their use in France
- Source :
- Drug and Chemical Toxicology. 45:698-721
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Informa UK Limited, 2020.
-
Abstract
- In France, the implementation of mutant herbicide-tolerant crops and the use of the related herbicides - sulfonylureas and imidazolinones - have triggered a strong societal reaction illustrated by the intervening actions of environmentalist groups illegally mowing such crops. Trials are in progress, and therefore should be addressed the questions of the environmental risks and the toxicity of these herbicides for the animals and humans consuming the products derived from these plants. Regulatory authorities have allowed these mutant and herbicide-tolerant plants arguing that the herbicides against which they resist only target an enzyme found in 'weeds' (the acetolactate synthase, ALS), and that therefore all organisms lacking this enzyme would be endowed with immunity to these herbicides. The toxicological literature does not match with this argument: 1) Even in organisms displaying the enzyme ALS, these herbicides impact other molecular targets than ALS; 2) These herbicides are toxic for animals, organisms that do not possess the enzyme ALS, and especially invertebrates, amphibians and fish. In humans, epidemiological studies have shown that the use and handling of these toxins are associated with a significantly increased risk of colon and bladder cancers, and miscarriages. In agricultural soils, these herbicides have a persistence of up to several months, and water samples have concentrations of some of these herbicides above the limit value in drinking water.
- Subjects :
- Crops, Agricultural
medicine.drug_class
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Limit value
Herbicide tolerant crops
010501 environmental sciences
Toxicology
01 natural sciences
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
medicine
Animals
Humans
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Pharmacology
Acetolactate synthase
Chemical Health and Safety
biology
Herbicides
business.industry
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
General Medicine
Sulfonylurea
Biotechnology
Acetolactate Synthase
Sulfonylurea Compounds
Increased risk
Agriculture
Toxicity
biology.protein
Molecular targets
France
business
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15256014 and 01480545
- Volume :
- 45
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Drug and Chemical Toxicology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....943eb3fd9719711285354a8f80b81967