Genetically Engineered Crops, Glyphosate and the Deterioration of

Health in the United States

Nancy Swanson

What

Obtain time-trend data on prevalence of GE cropsObtain time-trend data on glyphosate applications to those crops

Obtain epidemiological data on incidence & prevalence of and deaths due to diseases

Compare & Correlate

Why 25% of US population suffers from multiple disease Chronic disease is shifting to younger populations >20% of boys in US diagnosed with ADHD 1 in 50 children in US have autism (1 in 3300 pre-1990) Leading causes of premature death (UW)

Rank 1990 2010Alzheimer's 32 9Diabetes 15 7Kidney disease 21 16

Something is happening!

What has changed?Exponential increase in GE crops since 1995

Genetic Modification Insect resistant (Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt) Herbicide tolerant (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, RR)

Promoter: Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) Reproduces and mutates quickly (horiz. gene

transfer?) Closely resembles HIV & hepatitis

What has changed?

Glyphosate use has exponentially increased Roundup Ready GE crops Crop desiccant/ripener Urban and industrial weed control

We are exposed to glyphosate through many channels

Glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) have been detected in air [1], rain [2], groundwater [3], surface water [4], soil [5] and sea water [6].

[1] Majewski et al., 2014, Chang et al., 2011[2] Scribner et al., 2007, Majewski, 2014[3] Scribner, 2007[4] Chang, 2011; Scribner, 2007; Coupe et al., 2012[5] Scribner, 2007[6] Mercurio et al., 2014

HOW: Literature Review Yields:

HOW: Literature Review Yields: Glyphosate DOES bio-accumulate:

Glyphosate residues in the tissues of the kidney, liver, lung, spleen, muscles and intestines were comparable to that found in the urine. Glyphosate is not being passed through the urine without affecting the organism. [1]

Glyphosate has been found in multiple tissues, including lungs, liver, kidney, brain, gut wall and heart, in malformed one-day-old piglets [2]

Studies on the blackworm species, Lumbriculus variegatus have shown bioaccumulation of glyphosate [3].

[1] Kruger et al., 2014. Detection of glyphosate residues in animals and humans. Journal of Environmental and Analytical Toxicology, 4(2): 210-15.[2] Kruger et al., 2014, Detection of glyphosate in malformed piglets. J Environ Anal Toxicol, 4: 5.[3] Contardo-Jara et al., 2009, Bioaccumulation of glyphosate and its formulation Roundup Ultra in Lumbriculus variegatus and its e ects on biotransformation and antioxidant ffenzymes. Environ Pollut, 157: 5763.

HOW: Literature Review Yields:

•HOW: Literature Review Yields:

• Glyphosate is an endocrine disruptor• Glyphphosate kills beneficial gut bacteria• Glyphosate causes cell-cycle dysfunction that leads to development of cancer

• Glyphosate is toxic to the liver and kidneys

• Glyphosate is toxic to the reproductive system

• Glyphosate causes oxidative stress resulting in changes to cell functions, necrosis in cells and neurotoxic effects in the brain

Endocrine System

• Hypothalmus (nervous system, growth hormones, stimulates pituitary)

• Pituitary (stimulates thyroid, mammary, testes/ovary)

• Pineal (regulates sleep/wake cycle)

• Thyroid (regulates metabolism, calcium uptake)

• Thymus (fetal & childhood development)

• Adrenal (breakdown of proteins and lipids to produce glucose; reduce inflammation & immune response; regulate mineral uptake)

• Pancreas (regulates glucose & insulin)

• Testes/ovaries (regulates reproduction)

HOW: Look for increase in disease associated with:

Endocrine Disruption Central Nervous System Birth Defects Intestinal disorders

Diabetes Kidney disease

Hypertension Obesity

Hormonal disorders Autoimmune disease

Infertility, low birth weight, birth defects Cancer (breast, prostate, liver, kidney, bladder, brain, thyroid,

thymus, pancreas, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) Neurological disorders

How

Data on corn, soy and cotton obtained from USDA: National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA:NASS)

Data on disease epidemiology obtained from Centers for Disease Control (CDC), USDE Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (USDE:IDEA), and National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (NCI:SEER)

Plot data & calculate correlation coefficients

GE Crops

Glyphosate

The Pearson correlation coefficient

⧫ R = 1 perfect correlation ex. R >= 0.98 good for calibrating scientific equip. R >= 0.80 good in social sciences

⧫ R2*100: percent of variation of the y-variable that can be attributed to the difference in the x-variable

ex. R = 0.98, 96% of the variation in y is accounted for (perhaps caused) by variation in x.

⧫ p: probability that any observed relationship between two variables could have happened by chance.

ex. p = .05 or 5%, findings are significant. p = .01 or 1%, findings highly significant

Neurological Disorders

Autism

Autism: 6-year-old

Senile Dementia

Alzheimer's Disease

Parkinson's Disease

Cancers

Thyroid Cancer

Urinary/Bladder Cancer

Kidney/Renal Cancer

Liver Cancer

Hypertension & Stroke

Hypertension

Stroke

Metabolic Disorders

Lipoprotein Metabolism Disorder

Obesity

Diabetes Incidence

Diabetes Prevalence

US Sugar Consumption

Acute Kidney Injury

Acute Kidney Failure

End Stage Renal Disease

Intestinal & Infectious

Intestinal Infection

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Viral Hepatitis C

Birth Defects

Summary Table

What does it mean?

CoincidenceDirect cause and effect relationshipRelationship caused by a third variableComplex interaction of several variables