{"id":153805,"date":"2025-02-01T19:20:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-01T13:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=153805"},"modified":"2025-02-01T19:20:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T13:50:43","slug":"paraquat-poisoning","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/paraquat-poisoning","title":{"rendered":"Paraquat Poisoning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A woman in Kerala was <\/span><b>awarded the death sentence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for poisoning her boyfriend in 2022 with a chemical herbicide called paraquat.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>The Sharon Raj Murder Case<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A woman named Greeshma poisoned her boyfriend, Sharon Raj, by mixing paraquat into his food. The chemical caused severe internal damage, leading to his death.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legal Outcome: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Thiruvananthapuram court sentenced Greeshma to death for premeditated murder.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>What is paraquat?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Definition: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paraquat, also known as<\/span><b> paraquat dichloride<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><b>methyl viologen<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is one of the <\/span><b>world\u2019s most-used herbicides.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Uses: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is widely used as a <\/span><b>herbicide for controlling weeds <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>drying crops like cotton<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before harvest.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Toxicity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it is classified as a <\/span><b>Category 2 chemical (moderately hazardous) by the World Health Organization (WHO).<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paraquat is banned in over 70 countries, including China and the European Union, due to its high toxicity. However, it is still used in countries like the US and India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Usage in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In India, paraquat is regulated under the Insecticides Act, 1968, and is approved for use on crops like wheat, rice, tea, and coffee.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, its misuse and lack of regulation have led to several poisoning cases.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>How Does Paraquat Poisoning Occur?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ingestion: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most common route, often leading to fatal outcomes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Skin Contact: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prolonged exposure can lead to absorption through the skin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I<\/span><b>nhalation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Can cause respiratory issues.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mechanism of Action: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paraquat causes direct damage to the lining of the mouth, stomach, and intestines.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It spreads rapidly through the body, damaging the lungs, liver, and kidneys.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cells absorb paraquat through active transport, accelerating its toxic effects.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Symptoms of Paraquat Poisoning<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mild Exposure:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Abdominal pain, swelling in the mouth and throat, nausea, and bloody diarrhea.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over time,<\/span><b> damage to the heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">may occur.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Severe Exposure:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acute kidney failure, rapid heart rate, liver failure, seizures, and respiratory failure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Death can occur within hours or days, depending on the amount ingested.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Treatment for Paraquat Poisoning<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is<\/span><b> no known antidote<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for paraquat poisoning.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Immediate Measures:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swallowing <\/span><b>activated charcoal or Fuller\u2019s earth (multani mitti)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to absorb the chemical.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Removing contaminated clothing and washing the skin with soap and water.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Hospital Treatment:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Supportive care, including immunosuppression or charcoal hemoperfusion,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> may be used, but survival rates are low.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Regulations and Restrictions<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>In India: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite regulations, paraquat is often sold without proper prescriptions or safety guidelines. Farmers frequently misuse it without protective gear, leading to accidental poisonings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>In the US: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paraquat is restricted to licensed commercial users and is banned for personal or residential use.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><i>Ready to boost your UPSC 2025 preparation?<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Join PW&#8217;s UPSC online courses<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i> today!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A woman in Kerala was awarded the death sentence for poisoning her boyfriend in 2022 with a chemical herbicide called paraquat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":153794,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[2092],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/153805"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=153805"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/153805\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":153810,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/153805\/revisions\/153810"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/153794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=153805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=153805"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=153805"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=153805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}