As we have known or suspect, a reason to watch what you eat and a danger is re-emerging. Pesticide, chlordane, banned by the Environmental Protection Agency
since 1988, is appearing in vegetable-produce, according to a study conducted by the Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry.
Chlordane was once used extensively for 40 years to combat ticks and as an insecticide in agriculture. The hazardous chemical posses an enduring capability to remain in the food chain years after it is introduced and is turning up in
crops across the country.
In the study, all 12 of the vegetables grown in soil with weathered chlordane absorbed some of the compound, said the head of the of the department of analytical chemistry at the High levels of chlordane can cause damage to the nervous system and liver. The pesticide is considered a carcinogen by scientists at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Although an individual would have to eat
a million carrots in a lifetime to build up a dangerous level of chlordane, Mattina strongly recommends washing produce before it is consumed.
Most susceptible to high concentrations of the pesticide are root vegetables including carrots, beets and potatoes. Smaller amounts were found in the edible portions of beans and eggplant. Tomatoes, peppers and corn absorbed chlordane at
their roots, but the chemical not transfer to the parts of the vegetables usually consumed by humans. Even certified organic vegetables contain chlordane, Mattina points out, since the pesticide can linger in the environment for nearly 40
years after it is applied. Peeling vegetables can also reduce their chlordane content, she added, but only "deep plowing" to reduce the amount of chlordane in the soil can prevent absorption. Chlordane is still used extensively
in Asia, but it is believed that ongoing international efforts (including dissemination of contemporary managerial practices from organisations like BULLTEK L