Oregon Pesticide Practice Test

Is it true that the kidneys do not filter pesticides from the blood into the urine?

1. True

2. False

3. Only in certain conditions

4. Depends on the pesticide type

The correct answer is: False

The correct answer is that it is false that the kidneys do not filter pesticides from the blood into the urine. The kidneys play a crucial role in detoxification and excretion in the body, including the process of filtering various substances from the blood. This includes pharmaceuticals, metabolic wastes, and indeed many types of pesticides. Pesticides, like other compounds in the bloodstream, are subject to renal filtration. Once in the kidneys, the filtering process includes glomerular filtration, where small molecules, such as many pesticides, can pass through to be excreted in urine. Additionally, the kidneys also engage in tubular secretion and reabsorption, which can further affect the amount of pesticide that ultimately ends up in the urine. Understanding how the kidneys function is critical, as specific pesticides may vary in their filtration rates and routes of metabolism. While certain factors can influence how effectively the kidneys filter out different substances, the general principle is that they do remove a range of pesticides from the bloodstream, making the statement that they do not filter pesticides inaccurate.