Search

The article discusses a paper that examined the effects of agrochemicals on crop yield, soil fertility, human health and biodiversity. It analyzes the role of agricultural laws and the environmental legal regime in addressing the problem of agrochemical application and describes alternative means of solving the problem. It also compares the advantages of the use of agrochemicals and their negative effects on human and animal health and on the environment.

Acetochlor and methamidophos are two important agrochemicals which are widely applied to agricultural production in northeast China. The investigation on the earthworm Eisenia fetida as an important type of soil animals exposed to single and binary-combined contamination of acetochlor and methamidophos was thus carried out. The single toxic effect test showed that the two agrochemicals had their toxicity to the earthworms living in phaiozem. Acetochlor had a stronger acute toxic effect on the earthworms than methamidophos. The mortality of the earthworms exposed to individual acetochlor and methamidophos changed with an increase in the exposure time and the exposed concentrations. The LD_{50} value of acetochlor and methamidophos toxic to the earthworms was 115.6–275.3 and 29.5–228.6 mg/kg, respectively. The weight of the earthworms was a more sensitive index compared to the mortality in indicating toxic effects of acetochlor and methamidophos in phaiozem. When considering both the mortality and the body-weight change, the combined pollution of acetochlor and methamidophos in phaiozem resulted in their synergic toxic effects on the earthworms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]