CHLORPYRIFOS: ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS

Chlorpyrifos can be toxic to a wide range of animals, including birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and bees. For instance, it can cause mallard ducks to lay fewer eggs with thinner shells, leading to the death of their ducklings. Research has shown that chlorpyrifos can be lethal to aquatic organisms at low concentrations.

Chlorpyrifos can also bioaccumulate in the tissues of animals, specifically those who eat smaller animals.

Moreover, chlorpyrifos can contaminate soil, sediments, and water, while disrupting biogeochemical cycles in the process. This pesticide is also known for being able to travel long distances and contaminate remote areas. Chlorpyrifos has been found in surface water, ice, and fog in the Bering Sea, as well as the Chukchi Sea. However, traces of the substance have also been seen in Alaskan snow and fish.