Does atrazine cause deformities in frogs and is it an endocrine disruptor?
It is not known precisely what causes frog deformities such as multiple or missing limbs. Atrazine has been a part of some studies exploring this issue, but a direct cause-and-effect relationship has yet to be established. Frog limb deformities were not considered as part of the Minnesota-specific review; however, in 2010, the EPA will ask an independent Science Advisory Panel to review atrazine’s potential effects on amphibians and aquatic ecosystems. Atrazine is an endocrine disruptor in mammals. Studies in rats have indicated exposure to atrazine or its degradates can lead to changes in the reproductive cycle in adult females and to developmental delays and other endocrine impacts in offspring. How these effects might apply to humans is not well understood and much more research is needed. Atrazine’s role as an endocrine disruptor in amphibians (like frogs) and amphibian populations has been an issue of significant scientific inquiry. The Pollution Control Agency has been closely fo
