Atrazine: Its use in corn production and its loss to stream waters in Southern Ontario, 1975–1977

Frank, R.; Sirons, George J.

doi:10.1016/0048-9697(79)90088-3

Cited by 69 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…In reality, amphibians in the wild (especially in agricultural areas) are exposed to mixtures of pesticides. Further, although brief episodes of high-concentration exposure may occur, prolonged exposures to low concentrations of pesticide mixtures are more common (Battaglin and Goolsby 1999; Burkhart et al 2003; Capel and Larson 2001; Fischer et al 1995; Frank and Logan 1988; Frank and Sirons 1979; Frank et al 1987, 1991; Insensee et al 1990; Kolpin et al 1998; Kucklick and Bidleman 1994a, 1994b; Pennington et al 2001; Solomon et al 1996; Thurman et al 1992). Only a few studies have examined the effects of pesticide mixtures on amphibians (Christin et al 2003; Dawson and Wilke 1991; Gendron et al 2003; Howe et al 1998; Mazanti 1999; Mazanti et al 2003; Relyea 2004), but chemicals were examined at much higher concentrations than those examined here, only toxicity was examined, and the chemical mixture in the present analysis was not examined.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticide Mixtures, Endocrine Disruption, and Amphibian Declines: Are We Underestimating the Impact?

Hayes

Case

Chui

et al. 2006

Environ Health Perspect

548

333

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Amphibian populations are declining globally at an alarming rate. Pesticides are among a number of proposed causes for these declines. Although a sizable database examining effects of pesticides on amphibians exists, the vast majority of these studies focus on toxicological effects (lethality, external malformations, etc.) at relatively high doses (parts per million). Very few studies focus on effects such as endocrine disruption at low concentrations. Further, most studies examine exposures to single chemicals only. The present study examined nine pesticides (four herbicides, two fungicides, and three insecticides) used on cornfields in the midwestern United States. Effects of each pesticide alone (0.1 ppb) or in combination were examined. In addition, we also examined atrazine and S-metolachlor combined (0.1 or 10 ppb each) and the commercial formulation Bicep II Magnum, which contains both of these herbicides. These two pesticides were examined in combination because they are persistent throughout the year in the wild. We examined larval growth and development, sex differentiation, and immune function in leopard frogs (Rana pipiens). In a follow-up study, we also examined the effects of the nine-compound mixture on plasma corticosterone levels in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis). Although some of the pesticides individually inhibited larval growth and development, the pesticide mixtures had much greater effects. Larval growth and development were retarded, but most significantly, pesticide mixtures negated or reversed the typically positive correlation between time to metamorphosis and size at metamorphosis observed in controls: exposed larvae that took longer to metamorphose were smaller than their counterparts that metamorphosed earlier. The nine-pesticide mixture also induced damage to the thymus, resulting in immunosuppression and contraction of flavobacterial meningitis. The study in X. laevis revealed that these adverse effects may be due to an increase in plasma levels of the stress hormone corticosterone. Although it cannot be determined whether all the pesticides in the mixture contribute to these adverse effects or whether some pesticides are effectors, some are enhancers, and some are neutral, the present study revealed that estimating ecological risk and the impact of pesticides on amphibians using studies that examine only single pesticides at high concentrations may lead to gross underestimations of the role of pesticides in amphibian declines.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticide Mixtures, Endocrine Disruption, and Amphibian Declines: Are We Underestimating the Impact?

Hayes

Case

Chui

et al. 2006

Environ Health Perspect

548

333

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“…The multiple-year data sets for the LAPU in various watersheds come from the NASQAN and NAWQA programs and from the literature (11,14,27,31,(39)(40)(41)(42)(43). The yearto-year variability in LAPU can be substantial.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Scale on the Behavior of Atrazine in Surface Waters

Capel

Larson

2001

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Field runoff is an important transport mechanism by which agricultural pesticides, including atrazine, move into the hydrologic environment. Atrazine is chosen because it is widely used, is transported in runoff relatively easily, is widely observed in surface waters, and has relatively little loss in the stream network. Data on runoff of atrazine from experimental plot and field studies is combined with annual estimates of load in numerous streams and rivers, resulting in a data set with 408 observations that span 14 orders of magnitude in area. The load as a percent of use (LAPU) on an annual basis is the parameter that is compared among the studies. There is no difference in the mean or range of LAPU values for areas from the size of experimental field plots (g0.000023 ha) and small watersheds (<100 000 ha). The relatively invariant LAPU value observed across a large range of watershed areas implies that the characteristics of atrazine itself (application method and chemical properties) are important in determining the extent of runoff. The variable influences on the extent of runoff from individual watershed characteristics and weather events are superimposed on the relatively invariant LAPU value observed across the range of watershed areas. The results from this study establish the direct relevance for agricultural field plot studies to watershed studies across the full range of scale.

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“…Atrazine, a triazine herbicide used primarily in corn production (Frank and Sirons 1979), is the most common pesticide contaminant of groundwater and surface water (Fenelon and Moore 1998; Hennion M, Pichon V, Legeay P, Cohen M, unpublished data; Kolpin et al 1998; Lode et al 1995; Miller et al 2000; Müller et al 1997; Solomon et al 1996; Thurman and Cromwell 2000). In addition to its high use, ubiquitous contamination of aquatic environments, persistence, and mobility, atrazine is a concern because it is a potent endocrine disruptor in wildlife and laboratory rodents.…”

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confidence: 99%

Atrazine-Induced Aromatase Expression Is SF-1 Dependent: Implications for Endocrine Disruption in Wildlife and Reproductive Cancers in Humans

Fan

Yanase

Morinaga

et al. 2007

Environ Health Perspect

240

125

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BackgroundAtrazine is a potent endocrine disruptor that increases aromatase expression in some human cancer cell lines. The mechanism involves the inhibition of phosphodiesterase and subsequent elevation of cAMP.MethodsWe compared steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) expression in atrazine responsive and non-responsive cell lines and transfected SF-1 into nonresponsive cell lines to assess SF-1’s role in atrazine-induced aromatase. We used a luciferase reporter driven by the SF-1–dependent aromatase promoter (ArPII) to examine activation of this promoter by atrazine and the related simazine. We mutated the SF-1 binding site to confirm the role of SF-1. We also examined effects of 55 other chemicals. Finally, we examined the ability of atrazine and simazine to bind to SF-1 and enhance SF-1 binding to ArPII.ResultsAtrazine-responsive adrenal carcinoma cells (H295R) expressed 54 times more SF-1 than nonresponsive ovarian granulosa KGN cells. Exogenous SF-1 conveyed atrazine-responsiveness to otherwise nonresponsive KGN and NIH/3T3 cells. Atrazine induced binding of SF-1 to chromatin and mutation of the SF-1 binding site in ArPII eliminated SF-1 binding and atrazine-responsiveness in H295R cells. Out of 55 chemicals examined, only atrazine, simazine, and benzopyrene induced luciferase via ArPII. Atrazine bound directly to SF-1, showing that atrazine is a ligand for this “orphan” receptor.ConclusionThe current findings are consistent with atrazine’s endocrine-disrupting effects in fish, amphibians, and reptiles; the induction of mammary and prostate cancer in laboratory rodents; and correlations between atrazine and similar reproductive cancers in humans. This study highlights the importance of atrazine as a risk factor in endocrine disruption in wildlife and reproductive cancers in laboratory rodents and humans.

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Atrazine: Its use in corn production and its loss to stream waters in Southern Ontario, 1975–1977

Cited by 69 publications

References 7 publications

Pesticide Mixtures, Endocrine Disruption, and Amphibian Declines: Are We Underestimating the Impact?

Pesticide Mixtures, Endocrine Disruption, and Amphibian Declines: Are We Underestimating the Impact?

Effect of Scale on the Behavior of Atrazine in Surface Waters

Atrazine-Induced Aromatase Expression Is SF-1 Dependent: Implications for Endocrine Disruption in Wildlife and Reproductive Cancers in Humans

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