Symptoms of Paraquat Poisoning

Paraquat, or paraquat dichloride, is one of the most often used herbicides in the U.S. It’s the active ingredient in many popular weed killers, including Gramoxone, Firestorm®, Helmquat® and Parazone. 

Herbicides made with paraquat are primarily used in farming to control weeds and grass. Paraquat is also used to prepare some crops, like cotton, for harvesting. It works by interfering with photosynthesis in plant cells. Studies show that paraquat also interrupts the normal operation of human and animal cells.

According to estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in 2018, American farmers used more than 10 million pounds of paraquat on crops, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa and hay. 

Paraquat has been involved in roughly 100 poisoning incidents every year in the U.S., resulting in at least one death annually since 2012. Paraquat poisoning frequently damages the digestive tract and respiratory system, but it may also harm vital organs and cause death. Paraquat exposure may also be linked to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Is Gramoxone different from paraquat?

Gramoxone is one brand name for paraquat. Gramoxone and other herbicides containing paraquat are made and distributed by Syngenta, Chevron and FMC Corporation, which have all been named in paraquat lawsuits. 

Gramoxone poisoning symptoms mirror paraquat poisoning symptoms. 

Firestorm and Helmquat are among other herbicide products that use paraquat and go by a different brand name.

Is Gramoxone the same as Roundup?

Gramoxone and Roundup® aren’t the same. Both are herbicides, but they have different active ingredients. While Gramoxone uses paraquat, Roundup uses glyphosate. Like Gramoxone poisoning symptoms, Roundup poisoning symptoms may indicate damage to the respiratory system and digestive system. Roundup poisoning may also lead to a coma and cause low blood pressure and kidney failure.

In addition, studies link Roundup exposure to on-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a potentially deadly immune system cancer. Studies show that Gramoxone side effects may be a sign of neurological injuries, including Parkinson’s disease.

Exposure to glyphosate has resulted in Roundup lawsuits. Motley Rice has helped plaintiffs pursue compensation for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in connection with the herbicide. We also represent plaintiffs with Parkinson’s disease in connection with paraquat exposure. 

People can get paraquat poisoning by swallowing, touching or inhaling Gramoxone or another herbicide containing the toxic substance. Paraquat side effects may also occur when the chemical touches clothing or the eyes. 

The severity of paraquat poisoning symptoms will depend on the amount of paraquat an individual was exposed to and how long the contact lasted. The herbicide may inflict damage when it touches the mouth, stomach or intestinal lining. Once paraquat enters the body, research suggests it causes toxic reactions in vital organs and can accumulate in lung cells.

Because of their toxicity, all paraquat products are classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as restricted-use pesticides (RUPs). Only trained, certified applicators may use RUPs.  These applicators, who include agricultural, landscaping and pest control workers, are most at risk for paraquat poisoning.

Plaintiffs represented by Motley Rice were end users of paraquat. They did one or all of these:

• Cleaned surfaces and equipment contaminated with paraquat
• Mixed paraquat
• Sprayed paraquat using backpack, handheld, aerial or tractor sprayers

Mixing paraquat means combining the chemical with a surfactant (a chemical that helps paraquat stick to plants, making the herbicide more effective). According to legal claims against the companies, Syngenta and Chevron knew that adding a surfactant dramatically increases the toxicity of paraquat. The companies also were aware that requiring end users to mix the chemicals would significantly increase the risk of paraquat exposure.

How to use paraquat ‘safely’

There is no “safe” amount of contact with paraquat. In an effort to prevent cases of paraquat poisoning, serious injury or death, the EPA requires that all paraquat products:

• Be applied by a certified applicator or a person working under the supervision of a certified applicator
• Be kept in a secured location, away from children or other unauthorized users
• Be used only according to instructions and with the personal protective equipment listed on the label
• Never be stored in residential dwellings
• Never be used around home gardens, schools, playgrounds, parks or golf courses

In addition, in July 2021, the EPA issued updated and stronger protections to prevent paraquat exposure. These protections:

• Don’t allow pressurized handgun and backpack sprayer application methods
• Prohibit the use of human flaggers
• Require spray drift management label language
• Require a residential area drift buffer for all aerial applications
• Require a seven-day restricted-entry interval (REI) for purposes of cotton desiccation
• Require a 48-hour REI for all crops and uses, with the exception of cotton desiccation

The EPA also warns of paraquat poisoning by accidental ingestion. One small sip of the liquid herbicide can be fatal. Illegally transferring paraquat into beverage containers leads to approximately one to two deaths each year from drinking the herbicide.

Paraquat bans and restrictions

The U.S. hasn’t banned paraquat, but the European Union and dozens of countries have either banned or severely restricted its use. These countries include:

• Brazil
• China
• Malaysia
• Niger
• Norway
• Serbia
• South Korea
• Sri Lanka
• Switzerland
• Thailand
• Turkey
• The United Arab Emirates
• The United Kingdom

Adverse health complications associated with paraquat poisoning include gastrointestinal distress, respiratory problems, comas and seizures. These issues can present themselves immediately or in the days or weeks following exposure. Research suggests that paraquat poisoning may lead to long-term health effects and serious medical conditions. 

Paraquat poisoning symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain
• Confusion
• Dehydration
• Increased heart rate
• Muscle weakness
• Low blood pressure
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain and swelling of the mouth and throat

If you come into contact with paraquat, whether in the form of Gramoxone or another weed killer containing the paraquat chemical, seek medical treatment. You can also contact Poison Control free of charge at 1-800-222-1222 to speak confidentially with an experienced poison control expert. 

If you were exposed to paraquat, or a loved one was exposed and became ill you may be able to take legal action. For example, you may be eligible to file a paraquat lawsuit if exposure to the chemical results in a loved one’s death or you being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. 

Through litigation, you may recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering. 

There is no cure for paraquat poisoning, but doctors can try to stop or reduce the absorption of paraquat in the body. 

The damage done by paraquat isn’t reversible, and those who suffer paraquat poisoning can experience long-term health effects. Ingesting large amounts of the herbicide is usually fatal.

Despite the absence of a cure for paraquat poisoning, healthcare providers can treat paraquat symptoms by removing paraquat from the body and preventing further absorption. Doctors may:

• Administer activated charcoal or Fuller’s earth (a natural, absorbent clay material)
• Guide a tube through the nose into the stomach to remove ingested paraquat
• Flush eyes with water
• Wash exposed skin

Those who experience paraquat poisoning may need a hospital stay to address complications. Treatments while in the hospital may include:

• Breathing support from a ventilator
• Dialysis to aid kidney functioning
• Hemoperfusion to remove toxins from the blood
• Intravenous (IV) fluids for hydration
• Medications for low blood pressure and other paraquat side effects

People who survive paraquat poisoning may suffer long-term health effects, including pulmonary fibrosis (lung scarring), heart failure, kidney failure and liver failure. Other potential complications include coma, seizures, respiratory failure and esophageal scarring.

These medical conditions can alter one’s daily activities and quality of life: 

• Pulmonary fibrosis: Lung scarring isn’t reversible. People who develop this from paraquat poisoning may experience permanent coughing and shortness of breath. Treatment options include medications, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation or a lung transplant.
• Heart failure: Studies show that paraquat exposure can culminate in cardiac injury, including congestive heart failure. Symptoms of heart issues include shortness of breath, chest pains, heart palpitations and sudden cardiac arrest. There is no cure for congestive heart failure, sometimes referred to as simply “heart failure.” However, some patients can manage heart failure symptoms with medications, lifestyle changes and, in some cases, surgery — sometimes in the form of a heart transplant.
• Kidney failure: Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys stop functioning normally. As with other long-term outcomes of paraquat poisoning, kidney failure isn’t reversible. However, kidney failure is often treatable through dialysis or a kidney transplant.
• Liver failure: Acute liver failure can occur in connection with exposure to toxins like paraquat. When the liver begins to shut down, it can lead to other complications, such as increased pressure on the brain. Doctors can sometimes reverse liver failure by removing a toxin. However, damage can be permanent, and those who suffer may need a liver transplant.

Paraquat poisoning and Parkinson's disease

Research suggests that exposure to paraquat, even at low doses, may play a role in the development of neurological illnesses, including Parkinson’s disease. Paraquat may cause Parkinson’s by harming the part of the brain that creates dopamine and controls voluntary movement.

No cure has been discovered for Parkinson’s disease, and no treatments will stop or reverse its symptoms. It’s a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse over time. Those with the condition may experience:

• Changes in speech
• Depression
• Difficulty swallowing
• Freezing of gait (FOG)
• Impaired balance
• Muscle spasms
• Reduced coordination
• Slowed movement and reflexes (bradykinesia)
• Stiffness and resistance to movement (rigidity)
• Sleep disturbances
• Tremors

Syngenta, Chevron and FMC — the makers and distributors of paraquat — knew about the herbicide’s toxicity and potential to cause neurological conditions, many plaintiffs argue. 

In the early 1960s, Syngenta and Chevron reviewed autopsies of paraquat poisoning victims. These autopsies showed detectable amounts of the chemical in the brain. By 1969, Syngenta scientists reached the conclusion that low-dose exposure to the herbicide was prone to result in immediate neurotoxic damage, but the damage was likely to go undetected at first. 

Plaintiffs argue Syngenta, Chevron and FMC have each failed to issue a public warning that exposure to paraquat could result in neurological injuries such as Parkinson’s disease. Motley Rice is currently representing plaintiffs who have suffered from Parkinson’s disease and have filed a paraquat lawsuit against one or more of these companies.

Motley Rice attorneys represent individuals, families, communities and states in toxic exposure and environmental damage lawsuits. We have fought for plaintiffs harmed by:

• Asbestos exposure
• Camp Lejeune water contamination
• PFAS chemicals
• Roundup weed killer

We believe companies should be held accountable when they hurt consumers and the public. Our lawyers have helped victims secure some of the most significant civil settlements in U.S. history. We are here to help injured parties seek justice for illnesses and deaths in connection with paraquat exposure. 

Learn more about our toxic exposure litigation experience.