Green Pesticides

Whether or not you have noticed, the topic of pesticides has been brought up on a number of occasions in our chemistry class. Pesticides were first introduced in the organic food portion of the class. It was mentioned that organic foods are almost always grown without any type of pesticides. Pesticides were also introduced in the article we read entitled: Origins, Current Status, and Future Challenges of Green Chemistry. This article mentions that “Pesticides have been designed that are more selective and less persistent than many traditional organic pesticides. Surfactants and polymers have been developed to degrade in the environment at the end of their useful lifetime (689).

Pesticides in general are both very beneficial and very hazardous to humans. Pesticides are beneficial because they kill bugs that may stress plants and livestock that we ultimately consume. Hazards emerge simply because pesticides are a poison. Pesticides are known to kill beneficial organisms on plants and animals. Furthermore, most pesticides linger around for a while increasing the risks. Green pesticides have mainly been developed to reduce the time pesticides stick around. Catalysts (number 9 on the list of 12 Principles of Green Chemistry) have been developed to try and degrade pesticides. One such catalyst that has been developed to degrade pesticides is called iron-TAML (tetra-amido macrocyclic ligands). Simply put, this catalyst can cleave off a portion of the dangerous pesticide through and oxidation reaction rendering the pesticide harmless. Better yet, iron-TAML has been shown to be environmentally friendly and non-toxic. Even the byproducts of the broken down pesticide are non-toxic. Iron-TAML has even proved to be more effective against chlorinated pesticide agents then most other alternative treatment methods.

Pesticide treatments have been around for sometime but their efficiency and “greenness” continue to improve. Along with surfactants and polymers, iron-TAML can join the list as a pesticide degrader.