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{http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/agent-orange-2.jpg} Plane spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam
A U.S. Air Force plane spraying a delta area 20 miles from Saigon with Agent Orange during the Vietnam War
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The effects of war on ecosystems (large or small)The effects of war on ecosystems (large or small)
Vietnam war-physical environment

Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid (one containing an oxo group, X=O) with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol.[1]Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH (hydroxyl) group is replaced by an -O-alkyl (alkoxy) group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and alcohols.
During the war time, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, which make the agent orange, had to be sprayed as a mist form from sky using air crafts and these chemicals that are used in agent orange must have been melted in some sort of solvent to be sprayed as mist. So USA chemical companies basically used the ester of 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and chemicals, which means they didn't spread 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid directly.
Agent orange.
How Agent Orange Worked
Agent Orange has been linked to many health problems in Vietnam veterans and Vietnamese civilians. Thousands have died from conditions likely brought on by exposure to Agent Orange. The herbicide, and its component dioxin, is considered to be one of the most dangerous substances in the world [source: Glaberson]. Overall, the mass spraying of Agent Orange has been called an "ecocide" because of the devastation that it wrought on the Vietnamese environment and on the health of many residents of that country [source: Hitchens].
The name Agent Orange comes from the containers that it was stored in, which had an orange stripe. In all, the United States used 15 herbicides in Southeast Asia, including Agents Orange, Blue, White, Pink, Purple and Green, all of which were mixtures of various herbicides and defoliants [source: Veterans Administration]. Agent Orange was a mix of two herbicides called 2,4,-D and 2,4,5-T.
Agent Orange's development came about in part due to work by Dr. Arthur W. Galston, a botanist who researched compounds that boost plant growt h, known as growth regulators. But after the U.S. military began using Agent Orange in Vietnam, Galston observed its effects and worked to publicize the damage that the defoliant caused to plants, animals, ecosystems and human health. He became one o f the foremost campaigners against the use of Agent Orange.
Bibliography: Site

Birth DefectsBirth Defects
DU (Depleted Uranium) was used by the Iraqi to attack Kuwaiti during the war in 1991. It is identified as a neurotoxin which is also known as "nerve poison". This disease can be passed down to other generations. (http://www.lenntech.com/environmental-effects-war.htm)
spinal bifida: it's one of the many birthday defects caused by the use of agent orange in Vietnam.
Spina bifida (Latin: "split spine") is a developmental birth defects, caused by the incomplete closure of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through the opening in the bones. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spina_bifida
Vietnam war-human environment
Agent orange was planed to be use to clear out all the living trees so that Vietnam armies has no place to hide. But the consequences were far greater. resulted in spontaneous abortions, chloracne, skin and lung cancers, lower intelligence and emotional problems to children. When Americans sprayed the chemical, it was sprayed on many Vietnamese civilians , animals and plants, which result in many death. Many children where indirectly affect. This means that their parents were expose to the chemical "agent orange" and as a result their children were born out to carry mental and physical problems. And It is definite that Americans are to be blamed but Americans are saying that there are not enough evidence to prove this issue.

It is a herbicide that is still being used today. It triggers abnormal cell division with its auxin like effect that will lead to defoliate
Why will auxin like effect lead to defoliation?
the plants.
What are Esters?
Below is the extract from English Wikipedia,
Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid (one containing an oxo group, X=O) with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol.[1]Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH (hydroxyl) group is replaced by an -O-alkyl (alkoxy) group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and alcohols.
During the war time, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, which make the agent orange, had to be sprayed as a mist form from sky using air crafts and these chemicals that are used in agent orange must have been melted in some sort of solvent to be sprayed as mist. So USA chemical companies basically used the ester of 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and chemicals, which means they didn't spread 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid directly.
This is just one of the possible ingredient of Agent orange. The actual ingredient could be different because they never announce the actual composite of the Agent orange.

Please think before editing the page. Try to think about how the information is organised so that other people can find it. Feel free to make new headings or subheadings.
The effects of war on ecosystems (large or small)The effects of war on ecosystems (large or small)
war-physical environment
In year 1962 to 1971, very dangerous toxic chemical called agent orange was sprayed on Vietnam.
About 72millon liters of the chemical was sprayed on Vietnam's forests, to clear out all the living trees so that Vietnam armies has no place to hide. About 14% of Vietnam's forest were gone and turned those dead forest to a place where plants are not able to grow back. Why? It is because of the chemical which went onto the soil.
A scientist from a Desert Laboratory toured Kuwait’s burnt-out oilfields. ‘I’ve never seen such devastation. Kuwait’s desert before the Gulf War was very healthy, despite centuries of nomadic grazing and decades of oil development. It supported substantial greenery and wildlife. But now it’s coated in oil residues that affect water permeability, seed germination and microbial life. Plants are dying because they can’t breathe through blackened leaves under dark skies.’
Capping the burning oil wells took ten months. Crude oil released into the sea killed tens of thousands of marine birds and mammals. Oil from extinguished wells formed huge petrochemical lakes, destroying the land surface. Toxic smoke and fumes killed migratory birds and aggravated human chest conditions. A veterinarian at the liberation of Kuwait said: ‘I saw birds just dropping out of the sky. Later I found a herd of dead camels covered with dead flies: whatever killed the camels killed the flies at the same time.’
web: http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/infodocs/st_environment.html
DEATH BY WATER
Soldiers besieging Sarajevo cut off the electricity supply, and with it the water pumps; people lining up at wells and stand pipes were easily and routinely picked off by snipers or attacked with mortar fire. It’s been common practice in war zones for belligerents to fill wells with rocks, steal pipes and pumping systems, dynamite dams, and pollute what’s left. A revolt in Iraq was crushed by draining the marshes on which the rebels lived and depended. Millions have died in war zones and refugee camps from water-borne diseases.
And water looks increasingly likely to be a cause of war, because there is simply not enough of it to go round. In the mere 40 years up to 1990, global water-use tripled. Its use is inequitable and profligate where it’s relatively easy to get. A western family can use 2000 litres a day; in Africa a few litres of untreated water each have to be carried, often for long distances or in war conditions. The world population is still growing, while water tables fall, underground aquifers empty, lakes shrink and wetlands dry up.
There are fears for war over the Euphrates, the object of a vast damming operation in Turkey which will cut Syria’s water supply by a third – and Turkey threatened to cut Syria off altogether for supporting Turkish dissidents. There are fears for war over the river Jordan: Israel, bent on self-sufficiency, claims all the water it can; but Syria, Jordan and the Palestinians need supplies too. There are fears for war over the Nile: Egypt is diverting river water to irrigate the desert, to grow crops instead of importing them; eight more countries, including drought-devastated Sudan, are in the queue. President Sadat has said: ‘The only matter that could take Egypt to war again is water’
web: http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/infodocs/st_environment.html
Land

Please think before editing the page. Try to think about how the information is organised so that other people can find it. Feel free to make new headings or subheadings.
The effects of war on ecosystems (large or small)The effects of war on ecosystems (large or small)
Vietnam war
Inwar-physical environment
In year 1962 sprayed on Vietnam.AboutVietnam.
About 72millon liters to hide. But the consequences were far more greater.resulted in spontaneous abortions, chloracne, skin and lung cancers, lower intelligence and emotional problems to children. About 14% grow back. Why? It is because of the chemical which went onto the soil.
http://www.lenntech.com/environmental-effects-war.htm
SoilSoil
Land
Can Gio:
riverbank erosions.
There were a slight raise in number of animals such as fish and molluscs because of the dead leaves that the mangrove provided. But as the mangrove disappeared as the result of the chemical spray, the number of animals also start to decrease. Indirectly it also affect the life style of the people who lived in those areas as they were dependant on these natural resource as a living.
Organisms (examples of effects on specific organisms as parts of food chains and webs - biomagnification and bioaccumulation)Organisms (examples of effects on specific organisms as parts of food chains and webs - biomagnification and bioaccumulation)

environmental effectsPlease think before editing the page. Try to think about how the information is organised so that other people can find it. Feel free to make new headings or subheadings.
Birth DefectsBirth Defects
This disease iscan be passed down other generations. It was later discovered that DU can also cause lungs and kidneys infection. (http://www.lenntech.com/environmental-effects-war.htm)
Vietnam war-human environment
Agent orange was planed to be use to clear out all the living trees so that Vietnam armies has no place to hide. But the consequences were far greater. resulted in spontaneous abortions, chloracne, skin and lung cancers, lower intelligence and emotional problems to children. When Americans sprayed the chemical, it was sprayed on many Vietnamese civilians , animals and plants, which result in many death. Many children where indirectly affect. This means that their parents were expose to the chemical "agent orange" and as a result their children were born out to carry mental and physical problems. And It is definite that Americans are to be blamed but Americans are saying that there are not enough evidence to prove this issue.
http://www.lenntech.com/environmental-effects-war.htm
CancersCancers
skin and lungs cancer
DU (Depleted Uranium) is discorvered later in the war, that it can cause lung and kidney cancers
Diseases caused or made posible by warDiseases caused or made posible by war
Congo War (II): HIV/AID

Birth DefectsBirth Defects
DU (Depleted Uranium) was used by the Iraqi to attack Kuwaiti during the war in 1991. It is identified as a neurotoxin which is also known as "nerve poison". This disease is passed down to other generations. It was later discovered that DU can also cause lungs and kidneys infection. (http://www.lenntech.com/environmental-effects-war.htm)
Vietnam war
Agentwar-human environment
Agent orange was planed to be use to were far more greater. resulted on many Vietnam soldiersVietnamese civilians , animals and plants, which result in many died.Manydeath. Many children gets infectedwhere indirectly affect. This means that their parents were expose to agent orange mostly because of their parents, child's dad or mom was sprayed by Americans and the chemical stays in"agent orange" and as a result their body. And their child arechildren were born out physical problems. And It is this issue.
http://www.lenntech.com/environmental-effects-war.htm
Environmental

Impacts of War on the Environment
he US military carried out a massive herbicidal programme in Vietnam for almost a decade. With 72 million litres of chemical spray, they defoliated the forests which provided cover for guerrillas.

‘All our coconut trees died,’ recalled a woman ten years later, in hospital with a third miscarriage, and also having chemotherapy; she asked not to be indentified. ‘Some of our animals died, and those that lived had deformed offspring. The seeds of the rice became very small, and we couldn’t use them for replanting.’

People exposed to the spray suffered headaches, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness and chest complaints. Meanwhile, Agent Orange’s carcinogenic dioxin was sinking into the soil, washing into the sea, and entering the food chain, where it is still at work today. Children born since the war have consumed high levels of dioxin; and many fathered by men exposed to the spray (many of whom are now dead or suffering from cancers) have spina bifida and other congenital abnormalities.(http://hurricanecandice.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/impact-of-war-on-environment/)