Weed killer found to give male frogs extra sex organs

Phila. Daily News/AP ^ | April 16 2002 | Associated Press

[Fintan]

WASHINGTON - Male frogs exposed to even very low doses of a common weed killer can develop multiple sex organs - sometimes both male and female - researchers in California have discovered.

"I was very much surprised," at the impact of atrazine on developing frogs, said Tyrone B. Hayes of the University of California at Berkeley.

Atrazine is the most commonly used weed killer in North America, he said, and can be found in rainwater, snow runoff and ground water.

The Environmental Protection Agency permits up to 3 parts per billion of atrazine in drinking water. Hayes' team found it affected frogs at doses as small as 0.1 part per billion.

Hayes' research team concluded that the effect on the frogs results from atrazine causing cells to produce tan enzyme which converts the male hormone testosterone to the female hormone estrogen.

Their research is reported in today's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Might atrazine also be a threat to people at low levels? Hayes said he didn't know, adding that, unlike frogs: "We're not in the water all the time. I'm not saying it's safe for humans. I'm not saying its unsafe for humans. All I'm saying is it that it makes hermaphrodites of frogs," he said.

 

[Fintan]

...can't remember if I washed after I used weed killer last time,oh well.

Well, if your tongue is snapping flies out of midair I'd worry.

[Mr. Lucky]

Fortunately, the claim that "atrazine is the most commonly used weed killer in America" isn't true.

Atrazine was once the most commonly used pre-emergent herbicide used on field corn; it is now a restricted use pestcide. It was never used in gardens or lawns.

Next time the tree huggers start to foam about genetically modified crops, such as "Roundup Ready" corn, keep in mind that it was these crops that delegated triazines to the dust bin of agriculural history.

[Exit148]

Now am I gonna get endless Atrizine spam along with the endless Viagra spam?? (Along with all the porn spam??) Sheesh!

[Recovering_Democrat]

heh. does that make for multiple orgasms?

[null and void]

Green and slimy? Possibly airtight?

That's not Bill, it's Hill...

[Cicero]

Are they bent?

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Is this article talking about frog frogs? Or is it talking about the French?

[Paul Atreides]

Give some of it to Bubba, let him grow a vagina, and he can do what people tell him to do and go F himself.

Personally, when I read the title, I thought it was going to be a screed by the French, blaming Israel for the extra "amenities".

[ofMagog]

We need to heavily spray some unfriendly countries...

[skateman]

Elbonia

Is that near Cleveland?

[Sungirl]

Does anyone think this is a problem in here? Every post makes a joke out of it.

[ladyinred]

Green and slimy? Possibly airtight?

No, that's not Clinton's ah, well you know, that is AL Gore's arm pits!

[Son of Rooster]

Nope no problems in here. Except SG getting uptight on another crusade. This time it's save the frogs. Yet to be scientificly proven. Same logic as global warming. But in the mean time I'm going to go get me some Round Up.

Son of Rooster

[DCPatriot]

As long as the new one wouldn't grow out of my forehead....sign me up! ;^)

[Don Myers]

Oh, Lord. I can just see some of these perverts smoking weed killer in the hopes of developing additional sex organs.

[Castlebar]

What would be the dosage necessary to sprout a pair of testicles on the senior US Senator from Mississippi?

[Dawgsquat]

It appears as though my frogs are ok. Just went down to the pond and did a weiner check on several males. Perfectly normal although a bit excited by the attention.

[Hunble]

"I lied!"

[Dawgsquat]

Hippity-hop, ribbitt PING!