In India, the use of carbofuran, methyl parathion, phorate and triazophos is viewed with apprehension. These chemicals are used as
- A.pesticides in agriculture
- B.preservatives in processed foods
- C.fruit-ripening agents
- D.moisturising agents in cosmetics
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, pesticides in agriculture. Carbofuran, methyl parathion, phorate and triazophos are all insecticides sprayed on crops, and all are highly toxic.
Carbofuran is a carbamate; methyl parathion, phorate and triazophos are organophosphates. These compounds block an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase in the nervous system, so they kill insects quickly but can also poison farm workers, birds and fish. Many of them fall in the World Health Organization's "extremely" or "highly hazardous" classes, and several cases of farmer deaths during spraying have been linked to such chemicals. India has banned or restricted a number of them, and their residues in food and water are a long-standing worry.
B is wrong because food preservatives are substances such as sodium benzoate, salt and vinegar. C is wrong because fruit is ripened with ethylene gas, or illegally with calcium carbide. D is wrong because cosmetics use moisturisers such as glycerine, not insecticides.
Exam tip: Carbofuran = carbamate; methyl parathion, phorate, triazophos = organophosphates; all pesticides.
Practice Questions
View allWhat is 'Climate Neutral Now' initiative?
1. It encourages organizations and other interested stakeholders to act now in order to achieve a carbon neutral world by 2030.
2. It derives its aims from the Paris Agreement.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
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Climate Neutral Now takes its aim from the Paris Agreement, but the target it works towards is a climate-neutral world by the middle of the century, not by 2030.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements is/are correct about 'Action for Climate Empowerment' (ACE)?
1. It is a term adopted by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
2. This term is related to the Paris Agreement.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
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Action for Climate Empowerment is the UNFCCC's own name for its work on climate education and public awareness, and it covers the Paris Agreement too.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is NOT correct about organic farming?
- A.It does not use genetically modified seeds
- B.Synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are not used
- C.It uses minimal crop rotation
- D.It uses ecologically protective practices
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Organic farming relies heavily on crop rotation, not on as little of it as possible, so this is the statement that is not correct.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements :
1. Agricultural soils release nitrogen oxides into environment.
2. Cattle release ammonia into environment.
3. Poultry industry releases reactive nitrogen compounds into environment.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 3 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.2 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
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Fertilised soils, cattle and poultry are all major sources of reactive nitrogen in the environment. Reactive nitrogen means nitrogen in forms other than the inert N₂ gas of the air, such as ammonia, nitrogen oxides, nitrous oxide and nitrate.
Read the full explanation →"If rainforests and tropical forests are the lungs of the Earth, then surely wetlands function as its kidneys." Which one of the following functions of wetlands best reflects the above statement ?
- A.The water cycle in wetlands involves surface runoff, subsoil percolation and evaporation.
- B.Algae form the nutrient base upon which fish, crustaceans, molluscs, birds, reptiles and mammals thrive.
- C.Wetlands play a vital role in maintaining sedimentation balance and soil stabilization.
- D.Aquatic plants absorb heavy metals and excess nutrients.
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Kidneys filter waste from the blood, and wetlands likewise filter pollutants out of the water that passes through them.
Read the full explanation →