(ORDO NEWS) — A new study has found that one in three Americans have traces of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, a toxic chemical used to kill weeds, in their bodies.
This pesticide was used in Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.
In a study published in the journal Environmental Health , scientists analyzed 14,395 people in the US and found that almost 33% of them had traces of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in their urine.
“Our study shows that human exposure to 2,4-D has increased significantly and is predicted to increase even more in the future,” the researchers wrote.
2,4-D is used primarily to kill weeds, but during the Vietnam War, this chemical was a key ingredient in Agent Orange, which was used by the US military to clear forest leaves. This has led to cancer, birth defects and serious neurological problems for millions of people in Vietnam.
2,4-D can get into a child’s body while playing on a lawn treated with this chemical. The substance enters the body of adults through GMO soybeans and cotton, which are most often processed by them.
Exposure to this chemical has previously been linked to cancer and other health problems, although the link between the two is still not fully understood.
“Further research should determine how increasing exposure to 2,4-D affects human health, especially when exposure occurs at an early age,” the scientists conclude.
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