Pesticide mixtures, endocrine disruption, and amphibian declines: are we underestimating the impact?
2006

Chemical Mixtures: Hayes Responds

Sample size: 1350 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Tyrone B. Hayes

Primary Institution: Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Conclusion

The study shows that examining individual pesticides does not reveal the true effects of low-dose chronic exposure to pesticide mixtures on amphibians.

Supporting Evidence

  • Most chemicals examined had no significant effects alone, but combined they did.
  • The study emphasizes the need for empirical evidence from well-designed experiments.
  • Single pesticide assessments may underestimate the impact of pesticide mixtures.

Takeaway

The study found that looking at pesticides one by one doesn't show how they really affect frogs when mixed together.

Methodology

The study examined the effects of nine pesticides alone and in mixtures on leopard frog larvae, assessing various developmental parameters.

Limitations

The study did not assess concentration additivity or response additivity directly.

Participant Demographics

Leopard frog (Rana pipiens) larvae were used in the study.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1289/ehp.8051

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