Initial Post Instructions
The Discussions in this course are set up deepen your understanding of the material as you make real world connections and employ creative thinking. To get the most from these discussions, full engagement is expected on the part of the student. Be sure to stop by the discussion section frequently, not only to post, but to read the postings of your peers and instructor. Engaging with your peers and learning together is key to this experience. For you initial post, choose one of the options below:
Option 1:
A growing concern in agricultural and food chemistry is the presence of residues in food. We use many forms of organic chemicals in agriculture and food chemistry and there is growing concern as to how safe these materials are. Choose an organic chemical used in agricultural of food chemistry and report on the functional groups contained in your compound, the uses of the compound, and the safety of that compound. This research will require one or more
Option 2:
Choose a compound that is classified as an ether, aldehyde, ketone, ester, or alcohol, or amide. Report on important applications of this compound using at least one outside source. Next, write the condensed structural formula of a simple molecule with an ether, aldehyde, ketone, ester, or alcohol functional group for your peers to name (do not give away the answer!).
***** for the initial post here is a list of all the compounds that the students already picked and i can’t do any of them because they chose them already
ethanol alcohol
ethyl
propanone
lactic acid
glyphosate
chlorpyrifos
Ethyl ether
Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond to at least one peer or the instructor. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification.
Possible follow-up topics:
Comment on one of your peer’s postings to discuss whether you believe the benefits of using their compound outweigh the risks.
Reply to the post of a peer whom has posted option 2 as their initial post and name the molecule provided. Be sure to walk us through all parts of the naming process, explaining each step.
Research a recently banned organic compound (banned in last year).
Student post that i will be replying to please put initial post and response to peer on separate pages
This is the post i would like to provide a response to
The selected compound is glyphosate.
Glyphosate is a general type of herbicide that is found in the organophosphorus chemical family. According to Galicia-Andrés et al., (2021), glyphosate has a highly polar character due to its three polar functional groups which include amino, carboxylic and phosphonic. The groups have different ionic states based on the pH.
Glyphosate is mainly used as an herbicide to control the growth of weeds in different crops, including soybeans, wheat, corn, and more.
According to Costas-Ferreira et al., (2022), glyphosate works by blocking the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, which is essential for the synthesis of aromatic amino acids in plants. This inhibition leads to the death of weeds while leaving crops unharmed, as they possess a different pathway for amino acid synthesis.
The safety of glyphosate is still a controversial issue. According to Costas-Ferreira et al., (2022), internal injuries caused by glyphosate, such as neuroinflammation or oxidative stress, can cause neuronal death. Furthermore, studies show that glyphosate reduces the viability of human cells and increased the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). This can be dangerous because LDH is involved in energy production, is found in almost every organ in the body including the brain.
Therefore, glyphosate induced LDH increases could be indicative of damage caused by the herbicide in the CNS. On the other hand, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2024), states that glyphosate poses to risk to human health and that glyphosate products used in the right direction do not cause any harm to both children and adults.
References
Galicia-Andrés, E., Tunega, D., Gerzabek, M. H., & Oostenbrink, C. (2021). On glyphosate-kaolinite surface interactions. A molecular dynamic study. European journal of soil science, 72(3), 1231–1242. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12971Links to an external site.
Costas-Ferreira, C., Durán, R., & Faro, L. R. F. (2022). Toxic Effects of Glyphosate on the Nervous System: A Systematic Review. International journal of molecular sciences, 23(9), 4605. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23094605Links to an external site.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2024). Glyphosate. https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/glyphosate#Links to an external site.:
