Health and Environmental Effects of Organochlorine Pesticides in Developing Countries

Volume 2 - Issue 2

Kiran Raj Awasthi¹ and Mamata Sherpa Awasthi²*

Received: February 22, 2019;   Published: March 05, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/OAJESS.2019.02.000135

Full Text PDF

To view the Full Article   Peer-reviewed Article PDF

Introduction

Organochlorine pesticide (OCP) was first synthesized in 1884, however, its use became evident during the 2nd World war when it was used as an insecticide in controlling various vector borne diseases such as malaria and typhus [1]. The post war era saw OCP being used extensively in the agricultural sector as a potent pesticide in addition to its use in indoor residual sprays (IRS) for vector control [1]. The adverse effects on human health and environment caused by OCP led to an international call for its ban in late 1960s [2]. Though this ban was implemented in most developed countries, OCP is still widely used in developing countries because of its low cost, easy availability and effectiveness as pesticides and vector control [2]. India alone uses over 88,000 metric tons of pesticide annually out of which 70% constitutes of OCP [3]. The persistent use of OCP in developing countries could be due to the belief that the immediate benefits brought by the pesticide in saving human lives from vector borne diseases is far important than the long-term consequences caused by it. This paper aims to explore the various health and environmental impacts that are attributed to OCP use.

Introduction| OCP Effects on Health and Environment| Conclusion| References|