A review of the potential adverse health impacts of atrazine in humans

Abstract

Atrazine is a widely used chlorinated triazine herbicide in agricultural settings, which has raised concerns over its potential adverse effects on human health. The extensive application of atrazine has resulted in its pervasive presence in the environment, contaminating soil, groundwater, and surface water. While earlier research suggested that atrazine is unlikely to pose a health concern, recent evidence has indicated the necessity to reassess this point of view. This review aims to assess the recent evidence on atrazine’s adverse effects on human health, focusing on (i) Cancer, (ii) Metabolic Diseases, (iii) Reproductive System, (iv) Neural System, and (v) Epigenetic Effects. Strategies to mitigate atrazine contamination and limitations of previous studies are also discussed. We strongly believe that further investigation is necessary to determine the potential detrimental consequences of atrazine in humans, particularly in developing countries, where herbicides are widely used without stringent safety regulations. Therefore, the current review will be beneficial for guiding future research and regulatory measures concerning the use of atrazine.