Long-Term Pesticide Exposure Accelerates Aging in Fish
Pesticide Exposure Accelerates Aging in fish, Study Finds
Long-term exposure to low levels of the common agricultural pesticide chlorpyrifos can accelerate physiological aging and shorten the lifespan of fish, according to new research from the university of Notre Dame.
The study, published in Science on January 19, 2024, suggests that chronic exposure to chlorpyrifos at concentrations currently considered safe can cause accelerated aging at the cellular level. This finding has potential implications for environmental regulations and human health.
Field Observations in China
The research originated with field studies conducted in China. Researchers examined over several years thousands of fish collected from lakes with varying levels of pesticide contamination.They observed a distinct pattern: fish inhabiting contaminated lakes showed a scarcity of older individuals, while populations in less contaminated lakes included a notable number of older fish.
cellular-Level Aging
Jason Rohr, a biologist at the University of Notre Dame and lead author of the study, explained that the pesticide exposure doesn’t necessarily cause immediate death, but rather speeds up the aging process. The study demonstrates that chlorpyrifos exposure at concentrations below those causing acute toxicity leads to faster aging at the cellular level.
The research teamS findings are detailed in the Science article, “Chronic pesticide exposure accelerates aging and reduces lifespan in a wild fish population.”
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