Pesticide residue - Pesticide residue

Japanese: 残留農薬 - ざんりゅうのうやく（英語表記）pesticide residue

The term refers to the residue of sprayed pesticides on crops, food, soil, etc. It is also used more broadly to refer to contamination of the environment and biological systems. Since 1961, when R. Carson of the United States warned that the use of chemicals such as DDT would cause long-term damage to ecosystems, it has become a global issue. Standards for organochlorine agents, organophosphate agents, heavy metals, etc. have been established for crops and food. In Japan, the use of pesticides was very high per unit area, and the spraying of large amounts of highly toxic and slow-decomposing β-BHC-containing formulations and mercury compounds has been problematic. There have also been concerns about the effects of aerial spraying on the human body of local residents. It is suspected that organophosphate agents may be the cause of "strange eye diseases" (decreased vision, narrowed field of vision, optic nerve abnormalities) and decreased liver function, which are particularly common in children. In addition, standards for pesticide residues on imported agricultural products have been published against the backdrop of an increase in imports of agricultural products from overseas, but there is a large gap between domestic and foreign pesticide regulations, which consumer groups and others are strongly concerned about. In particular, the National Institute of Hygienic Sciences (→ Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency) has confirmed that post-harvest pesticides (sprayed after harvest) remain in food even when vegetables are cooked.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

散布した農薬が農作物，食品，土壌などに残っていること。さらに広く，環境や生物系の汚染の場合にも使われる。 1961年アメリカの R.カーソンが，DDTなどの化学薬品の使用が生態系に長期的な被害を与えることを警告して以来，世界的に問題となった。農作物や食品については，有機塩素剤，有機リン剤，重金属などの基準が定められている。日本では従来，農薬の使用量が，単位面積あたり非常に多いこと，毒性が高く分解が遅い β－BHC を含む製剤や，水銀化合物を大量に散布したことが問題となった。また空中散布による地域住民への人体影響についても指摘されている。特に子供に多い「目の奇病」 (視力低下，視野狭窄，視神経異常) や肝臓機能の低下などの原因は，有機リン剤ではないかと疑われている。また，外国からの農産物の輸入増加を背景として，輸入農産物の残留農薬の基準が公表されたが，内外の農薬規制に大きな隔りがあり，消費者団体などが強く問題視している。特にポストハーベスト(収穫後散布)農薬は，野菜類を調理しても食品に残留することが国立衛生試験所 (→医薬品医療機器総合機構 ) で確かめられている。

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