reported that through successive surface runoff events in defoliated cotton fields, defoliant concentrations decreased exponentially within the test area and could negatively affect marine life in the runoff zones. Agent Orange, a defoliant used by the United Kingdom during the Malayan Emergency in the 1950s and the United States during the Vietnam War to defoliate regions of Vietnam from 1961 to 1971, has been linked to several long-term health issues. Agent Orange contains a mixture of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T as well as dioxin contaminants. Members of the Air Force Ranch Hand and the Army Chemical Corps who served in the Vietnam War were occupationally exposed to Agent Orange have a higher incidence of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and chronic respiratory diseases. Among other occupations, farmers are at a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease due to a greater chance of defoliant exposure. See also Rainbow Herbicides Crop destruction Index of environmental articles References External links Defoliants and Desiccants by Frederick M Fishel, Pesticide Information Office, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida Environmental science Environmental chemistry Soil science Herbicides Pesticides