Question

Discuss the effects of the use of pesticides and fertilizers on the environment.

Answer 1

1. Pesticides, especially chlorinated hydrocarbons like DDT, contaminate water bodies, causing toxicity to aquatic life by biological magnification along the food chain.
2. Residues of pesticides affect hormonal balances and may cause cancers and mutations in humans.
3. Fertilizers cause eutrophication of water bodies; excess nutrients promote excessive algal growth, leading to oxygen depletion and death of aquatic organisms.
4. Agricultural chemicals crowd out natural minerals in soil, degrading soil fertility over time.
5. Pesticides harm non-target organisms, including beneficial insects and soil microbes.
6. The combined runoff of pesticides and fertilizers pollutes rivers and lakes, disrupting natural ecosystems and water quality.