Many people would not realize that fluorochemicals actually have an aid in what we eat that goes beyond the manufacturing of Teflon. In fact, fluorochemicals help in the growing of agriculture in many different ways.
The most common use of fluorochemicals in agriculture is to protect crops in the field as an ingredient in pesticides and herbicides. After bromomethane was found to be a detriment to the environment, fluorochemicals began to be used as a safer alternative to this. The fluorine in pesticides provides a viable alternative to pest control products in the field. This has led to the development of more active ingredients for pesticide purposes to protect the crops that feed the entire world.
Fluorochemicals can also be added to the soil to sterilize it before crops are planted. While sterilization may seem like a bad thing in crops, it can be a very good thing. Fluorochemicals in the soil will neutralize the growth of crops, except for those that are intended to be grown there. Thereby reducing the growth of anything other than the target crop, the fluorine in fluorochemicals ensures that there is always plenty of nutrients in the soil for the one crop that the farmer wants to grow there.
Fluorochemicals also decontaminate water that would be useless for irrigating crops. This then provides more water to the crops and farm animals, meaning less water is wasted, which helps the environment.
Fluorochemicals are used in fumigants to reduce the possibility of pest infestation in the stored food products. This reduces the incidences of rats and mice that get into food storage and lower the quantity of food there.
Sebastian Schneider is a freelance writer who writes about issues and topics pertaining to the use of Fluorochemicals.
