Six Pesticides in the Air, Water, and Soil
Pesticides in the Air
Imagine this scenario: It’s two in the afternoon, and you’re at home, just sitting
down to enjoy a late lunch when the quiet atmosphere is broken by the drone
of an approaching crop-dusting plane. But wait a minute...what is that guy
doing? Why, he’s spraying practically right over your house! Worse yet, the
wind is blowing toward you, and your children are playing in the yard.
—Terry Shafer^1Introduction
Pesticides have been used for decades to control agricultural pests and to ensure an
adequate quantity and quality of food for the nation. A pesticide’s toxicity is responsi-
ble for its effectiveness in controlling pests, but the chemical may cause undesirable
side effects when it travels from its intended location. Pesticide movement to the
atmosphere depends upon complex interactions between the properties of the indi-
vidual chemicals, the weather, the properties of the soil or plant tissue on which they
are adsorbed, the way they are applied, and the management of the field or crop. Pes-
ticides potentially can contaminate soil, water, and air.
The occurrence of pesticides in the atmosphere is an important national issue.
Studies have documented that some pesticides found in the atmosphere and in water
have resulted from agricultural applications. Dissipation and accumulation of pesti-
cide residues can limit the efficacy of some pesticide materials. Pesticides and trans-
formation products in the atmosphere can be major health concerns and cause plant
damage far from their sites of application. For example, methyl bromide, a widely
used soil fumigant, has been implicated in damage to the stratospheric ozone layer.
More than half of applied materials may ultimately reach the atmosphere.