Tag : Herbicide

Washington: The movement of the herbicide dicamba off crops through the atmosphere, known as "dicamba drift," can cause unintentional damage to neighbouring plants. Other chemicals, usual amines, are mixed with dicamba to "lock" it in place and prevent it from volatilizing, or turning into a vapour that moves more easily in the atmosphere. New research from Kimberly Parker's lab at Washington University in St. Louis' McKelvey School of Engineering has shed new light on this story by demonstrating for the first time that these amines themselves volatilize, often more than dicamba itself. Their findings were published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. The volatilization of amines in the presence of dicamba may aid in explaining the processes that cause dicamba drift. However, amines are also used in other herbicides, including glyphosate, the world's most widely used herbicide. Regardless of herbicide, the researchers discovered that amines volatilized. If amines are released into the environment, they can have a negative impact on human health by forming cancer-promoting substances. They also have an effect on the climate and atmospheric chemistry. Because of their potential danger and prevalence, the scientific literature is replete with studies on how they are released into the atmosphere -- except when used in herbicide-amine formulations. "Amines also undergo reactions to form particulate matter -- tiny particles that can make their way into the body when inhaled," Parker said. "Those particles are also toxic and carcinogenic," and they carry consequences for atmospheric chemistry by affecting climate. "Researchers have looked at industrial applications, animal operations and environmental sources of amines ...