![]() It has also been found to induce breast cancer in rats, Hayes said. ![]() It has been shown to disrupt hormone levels in other animals as well as in human cells. The pesticide could also cause problems for other species, including our own, Hayes said.Ītrazine mimics a biological compound and increases the production of estrogen. Hayes notes that if the feminized males do reproduce as females, they can only produce male offspring, which further skews the population sex ratio. The results indicate atrazine could contribute to amphibian population declines, along with climate change, habitat loss and invasive species, Hayes said. For frogs, the sex chromosomes are labeled as Z or W and females have dissimilar chromosomes (ZW), while males have matching ones (ZZ).įrogs exposed to atrazine also had reduced testosterone levels, decreased fertility, and showed less mating behavior. In people, females have two X (sex) chromosomes, while males have one X and one Y. In both frogs and humans, sex is genetic. The feminized frogs were able to mate with males and produce viable eggs. They compared this atrazine-exposed group with 40 other male frogs reared in atrazine-free water.Īt the end of the experiment, all frogs in the atrazine-free group remained male, while 10 percent of the frogs exposed to atrazine were completely feminized - their genes said they should be male, but they had female anatomy, including ovaries. ![]() Environmental Protection Agency considers safe for drinking water. The atrazine levels were about what the frogs would experience in environments where the pesticide is used, and below levels that the U.S. Hayes and his colleagues raised 40 male African clawed frogs in water containing atrazine, from when they were larvae all the way up until sexual maturity. ![]()
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