A Review Paper on Evolution and Side-effects of Pesticides

Abstract

Since their extensive usage in the middle of the 20th century, pesticides—essential chemical and biological agents employed worldwide to ensure food production and control disease vectors—have significantly increased crop yield and advanced public health. However, the detrimental effects of excessive and negligent use on the environment and human health outweigh this necessity. In order to summarize the current understanding of the health risks and long-term environmental effects of pesticide exposure, this systematic review synthesizes data from 2000 to 2024. Results consistently show that a range of non-communicable diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer\'s and Parkinson\'s disease), different types of cancer, respiratory conditions, and metabolic disorders like Type 2 Diabetes and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), are strongly associated with chronic exposure, mainly through dietary intake and occupational handling. Additionally, pesticide residues contaminate soil and water widely, reducing the diversity of beneficial microorganisms and building up through bioamplification in the food chain. In order to reduce risks and guarantee efficient, ecologically responsible pest management in the future, the review ends by emphasizing the critical need for sustainable strategies, concentrating on innovations like nanopesticides, RNAi-based technology, and precision agriculture (AI Spot Spraying and Drone Application).

Introduction

Pesticides have played a crucial role in agriculture and public health by controlling pests, increasing crop yields, and reducing insect-borne diseases such as malaria and typhus. Their use expanded rapidly after the mid-20th century with the introduction of synthetic chemicals like DDT and BHC, contributing significantly to agricultural modernization, especially in countries like India. However, the excessive and uncontrolled use of pesticides has led to serious environmental contamination and major public health concerns worldwide.

Pesticides are often toxic, carcinogenic, and non-species-specific, resulting in widespread contamination of food, water, air, and soil. Human exposure occurs through ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption, causing both acute effects (such as skin and respiratory irritation) and long-term chronic diseases. Persistent pesticides can bioaccumulate in the body and biomagnify through the food chain, increasing health risks at higher trophic levels.

In India, despite relatively low pesticide use per hectare, food contamination is widespread due to improper application practices. Long-term exposure has been linked to cancer, neurological disorders, endocrine disruption, respiratory diseases, diabetes, leukemia, and liver disorders. Occupational exposure among farmers and agricultural workers poses particularly high risks. Pesticides have also been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as developmental and cognitive disorders in children.

Environmentally, pesticides contaminate soil and water, harm non-target organisms, disrupt beneficial soil microbes, and degrade soil health. Many banned or restricted pesticides persist in the environment through transformation products, posing ongoing risks to ecosystems and drinking water sources.

While pesticides continue to support crop productivity and food security, the text emphasizes the urgent need for safer and more sustainable practices. These include stricter regulation, improved safety measures, integrated pest management, biopesticides, and advanced technologies. Balancing agricultural benefits with human health and environmental protection is essential for sustainable development.

Conclusion

To conclude, though pesticides are immensely beneficial to humans in the short term, their long-term effects cannot be ignored. Hence, their use should be deliberate, and advertised, so as to not cause harm to the layman. After some developments in the field, nanopesticides will allow for their downsides to be minimized, without affecting their strengths.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Falguni Bhavsar, Samarth Mhatre, Pranav Jagdale, Avi Mundra, Rishabh Jain. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.