Herbicide risks to non-target species and the environment: A review

Abstract

The worldwide contamination of waters and food by herbicides is a major health issue, yet the toxic effects of herbicides to non-target organisms and ecosystems have been poorly summarized. Here we review the effects of herbicides belonging to the groups of chloroacetanilides, imidazolinones, sulfonylureas, and pyrimidinylcarboxylic, on small invertebrates, high vertebrates, plants, and the surrounding ecosystems. We describe toxicity in terms of behavioural changes, molecular biosynthesis, endocrine disruption, immunological responses, enzymatic alteration, and reproductive disorders. Strategies to decrease toxic effects are also presented. We observe widespread toxicity threats in amphibians and major aquatic species. Each herbicide group displays a different toxicity risk. For instance, chloroacetanilides display higher risks to soil, aquatic, algal, cyanobacteria, and terrestrial species, whereas alachlor, acetochlor, and metolachlor are highly carcinogenic to humans. Most imidazolinone herbicides cause phytotoxicity in non-target and succeeding crops. Sulfonyl-urea herbicides are severely toxic to soil microbes and succeeding crops. Pyrimidinylcarboxy herbicides are more toxic to soil microbes, aquatic species, and rats.