Comparison of the drinking water standard for pesticides of the Brazil with other countries

Abstract

The objective was to compare the types and concentrations of pesticides allowed in the water potability standard for human supply in Brazil with other countries considered to be the largest consumers of pesticides in dollars invested in purchase/trade. This is a descriptive and documentary study, with data collection in regulations available in official government websites in Brazil, USA, China, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Argentina, India, Italy, and World Health Organization (WHO). Since Germany, France and Italy are part of the European Union (EU), the legislative resolution of the European Parliament was adopted. Pesticides number and maximum permitted values (MPV) differ between the countries and WHO. In the Brazilian ordinance there are forty pesticides, a number like the USA, Canada, China, and WHO, but that represents only 8% of the total pesticides registered for agricultural use in Brazil. When comparing the ordinance of Brazil with EU the values are only the same for Aldrin + Dieldrin. For other, amounts between 2 and 5000 times more are allowed in Brazil. Brazilian regulations do not establish a total value for the mixture of pesticides in water, only individual limits, which together can reach 1677.13 μg/L, while in EU standards it is only 0.5 μg/L. The study showed discrepancies of the pesticides allowed in water potability standard of the Brazil with other countries, but features 12 pesticides with the same concentrations as WHO guidelines, thus, a worldwide standardization in water potability regulations is necessary to promote health and reducing risk of exposure.