Atrazine

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Atrazine is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the United States. It is a carcinogen, a ground water contaminant, and a suspected endocrine disruptor.[1] Pesticide Action Network classifies it as a Bad Actor. Atrazine is classified as a chlorotriazine herbicide.

Pollution of Waterways

According to a 1999 U.S. Geological Survey, atrazine and its breakdown product deethylatrazin (DEA) were among the top herbicides found in streams and shallow groundwater in both agricultural and urban areas.[2]

"Atrazine was found in about two-thirds of all samples from agricultural streams, often occurring year-round. Similar to streams, the most common compounds found in shallow ground water were atrazine and DEA, but only about one-third of the samples had detectable levels. The lower rates of atrazine and DEA detection in ground water compared to streams result from longer travel times, greater opportunity for sorption or breakdown, and greater variability of source water in wells."[3]

Syngenta's Defense and Promotion of Atrazine

The manufacturer of atrazine, Syngenta, teamed up with the agricultural radio show AgriTalk to promote atrazine in an atrazine research webcast in 2011.[4] They boasted that "Atrazine benefits U.S. consumers by up to $4.8 billion annually"[5] and spoke of "the importance of atrazine in the integrated management of herbicide-resistance weeds."[6]

Pesticide Maker Syngenta's Promotion of Atrazine

Products Containing Atrazine

  • Acetochlor Plus
  • Atrazine
  • Altra-5
  • Axiom AT DF
  • Ballistic
  • Banvel K +Atrazine
  • Basis GoldTM
  • Bicep II MAGNUM®
  • Bicep Lite II MAGNUM®
  • Brawl II ATZTM
  • BreakfreeTM ATZ
  • BreakfreeTM ATZ Lite
  • Bromox + Atrazine
  • Bromoxynil + Atrazine
  • BROX®-AT
  • Brozine®
  • BUCTRIL® + Atrazine
  • Bullet®
  • Cadence® ATZ
  • Cadence® Lite ATZ
  • Charger MaxTM ATZ
  • Charger MaxTM ATZ Lite
  • Confidence Xtra
  • Confidence Xtra 5.6L
  • Dicamba + Atrazine
  • Dicambazine
  • Dicambazine®
  • Establish ATZTM
  • Establish LiteTM
  • Expert®
  • Field Master®
  • FulTime®
  • G-Max LiteTM
  • Guardsman Max®
  • Harness® Xtra
  • Harness® Xtra 5.6L
  • Infantry 4L
  • Infantry 90DF
  • Keystone®
  • Keystone® LA
  • LaddokTM S-12
  • Lariat®
  • LeadOff®
  • Lexar®
  • Liberty ATZ
  • Medall II AT
  • Metolachlor AT
  • OverTime ATZ
  • OverTime ATZ Lite
  • ParallelTM Plus
  • PropelTM ATZ
  • PropelTM ATZ Lite
  • Rifle PlusTM
  • Shotgun®
  • SimazatTM 4L
  • SimazatTM 90DF
  • Sortie ATZ
  • Sortie ATZ lite
  • Stalwart® Xtra
  • Steadfast®ATZ
  • Sterling Plus®
  • Tremor AT
  • Tremor AT Lite
  • TriangleTM
  • TrizmetTM II

External Resources

References

  1. Atrazine, Pesticide Information Database, Pesticide Action Network, Accessed October 3, 2011.
  2. Different pesticides dominate in different land-use areas, U.S. Geological Survey, Circular 1225, Accessed September 29, 2011.
  3. Different pesticides dominate in different land-use areas, U.S. Geological Survey, Circular 1225, Accessed September 29, 2011.
  4. Atrazine Research Webcast, Accessed November 23, 2011.
  5. Atrazine benefits U.S. consumers by up to $4.8 billion annually."
  6. The importance of atrazine in the integrated management of herbicide-resistance weeds