10 Most Toxic Pesticides Found In Water

There are numerous pesticides used by industry and on the home-front as lawn care products, home treatments, or insect repellants.  Triple E examined 30 of the most commonly used pesticides with several questions in mind, two of which were:  (1) Which pesticides occur in the freshwater environment?  (2) Which commonly used pesticides are the greatest human health concerns?  By 'occurrence' - Triple E means that these compounds are now found in waters that would never naturally have detectable concentrations - they are synthetic (i.e., man-made) after all.

As discussed in a previous article (Put Kybosh on Pesticides), the acceptable daily intake (ADI) might be useful as a basis for showing which compounds pose the greatest threat.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Rank the top 10 most toxic pesticides, among a group of 30 commonly used, based on their acceptable daily intake...

Which pesticides are on the 10 least wanted list?
Triple E found that among a group of 22 pesticides routinely analyzed in water samples throughout North America, Europe and Asia - every one of them was detected in freshwater resources.  Keep in mind that many of the studies were designed to test waters that are in close proximity to pesticide intensive activity (i.e., agriculture) and all of the concentrations were low (i.e., part per billion (ppb) range).  Regardless, the take home message is that all pesticides are persistent [enough] to be carried to freshwater resources.  Triple E is still trying to restate that nearly all synthetic organic pesticides are persistent, contrary to what might be understood from Death of Bees.

But what about the toxicity?  From the scroll above you can see Triple E's ranking of the '10 Most Toxic Pesticides Found in Water,' which is part of an Environmental Pollution article (part of the results are shown in the table below).  All of the top 10 are targeting insects, and they are mostly organochlorines that happen to be highly persistent.  Aldrin, the most toxic according to the ADI, is not routinely analyzed in water samples so it is hard to say what the fate of aldrin would be.  Considering the toxicity and measured concentrations of DDT, DEET, diazinon, dieldrin, lindane, and methoxychlor in the freshwater environment they each are labeled as high priority pollutants.

So what does an individual do to protect themselves from persistent organic pollutants?  Use non-toxic pesticide remedies in your personal vocation or home.  Eat organic produce, especially when the 'skin' cannot be removed.  If not certified organic, high pesticide residue is most likely on apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce, and kale.

For water, use an in-line carbon/charcoal filter for your refrigerator/freezer water/ice dispenser.  Carbon adsorbs organic pollutants from the influent water - like attracts like!  Because organic pollutants such as pesticides are comprised of a lot of carbon they tend to 'stick' to (i.e., sorb to) the filter media.

For Your Health,
Triple E.