Pesticides In Brazil Research Articles

Congenital defects in the cities with high use of pesticides in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Mato Grosso is the largest agricultural producer and the largest national consumer of pesticides in Brazil. Maternal exposure to pesticides in the periconceptional period has been associated with increased risk of congenital malformations. This article aims to analyze the association between the use of pesticides and congenital malformations in cities with highest exposure to pesticides in Mato Grosso. It was a case-control study conducted with 219 live births with congenital malformations and 862 live births. The average use of pesticides was estimated in the prior and subsequent trimester to the date of fertilization and throughout the periconceptional period per city, month and year of use. Subsequently, these measures were quartilized and transformed into indicator-type (dummy) variables, attributing an exposure level for each interquartile interval. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. Significant associations were observed (p < 0.05) in the third (OR = 1.66, 95% CI 0.98 to 2.79) and fourth quartile (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.09 to 3.24) of the post-fertilization period and the fourth quartile (OR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.17 to 3.56) throughout the periconceptional period. Maternal exposure to pesticides was associated with higher incidence of congenital malformations.

Rural work and health risks: a review into de "safe use" of pesticides in Brazil

The paradigm of the "safe use" of pesticides is based on measures to control risks in the handling of these products. However, studies carried out in various regions of Brazil reveal a situation of widespread exposure and health damages among rural workers, revealing the ineffectiveness of this paradigm. This work presents a critical review of the "safe use" approach for pesticides in scientific papers published in Brazil in the past 15 years. Results indicate that these studies do not address, simultaneously, all the work activities that involve exposure and risk of intoxication (acquisition, transportation, storage, preparation and application, final disposal of empty containers and sanitization of contaminated clothes/ PPEs), nor do they comprehensively address the "safe use" measures recommended in safety manuals, which are mandatory for each activity. A total of 25 studies were selected and analyzed, revealing a high number of results and analyses regarding activities of preparation and application and final disposal of empty containers. The range of the approaches was seen to be timely in the six work activities. For future studies, a broader approach of the "safe use" of pesticides is recommended, seeking to reveal the complete infeasibility of this safety paradigm.

Suicide mortality among agricultural workers in a region with intensive tobacco farming and use of pesticides in Brazil

Suicide mortality among agricultural workers in a region with intensive tobacco farming and use of pesticides in Brazil

A methodological review for the selection and ecological restoration of riparian forests in agricultural sites

The traditional planting system still consists in intensive use of pesticides in Brazil. In the case of the municipality of Bueno Brandao, southern Minas Gerais, Brazil, there is a high concentration of potato crops. Some of the physical characteristics of the area are important for the subject since it´s plenty of springs and watercourses and very steep and rich in hills slopes that may offer risks to water quality by pesticide runoff. The cultivation sites are often located near slopes greater than 20 % in permanent preservation areas ( APP/(PPA ) or near these. The most common APPs in the region refer to 30m wide areas along the river banks and 50m around the springs The Antas River is the main water source for Bueno Brandao and its contamination would be very detrimental to the health to both rural and urban population. Water contamination can occur due to sediment transport along the slopes toward rivers and springs that are found degraded riparian areas, causing water quality loss. One alternative that reduces the incidence of this problem would be the systematic application of Federal Law 12.651/2012 and banning any use of pesticides in plantations near the water bodies, preventing their degradation. As an additional measure the riparian forests should be recovered along rivers and around springs. Nowadays there are degraded forestal areas and open spaces. So even when crop fields are out of APPs if the scenario presents potentially steep slopes there is still risk of sediment transport towards rivers. This study presents a macro view and a micro view to guide the recovery of gaps in the riparian zone and make it more feasible. The Macro view is a methodology to select priority areas more apt to promote the protection of the waters that may be vulnerable to degradation, and therefore more qualified to ecological restoration. Aiming at the resolution of the macro view, different physical characteristics and agricultural uses were correlated and some values were assigned to the associated impacts of each occurrence. Seeking resolution of the micro issues a survey was conducted on techniques and methodologies within Brazilian and foreign literature aiming at ecological rehabilitation and the regain of ecological functions that had been altered. These methods and techniques may be used at the discretion of the executors responsible jointly or separately depending on the project budget and the peculiarities of the chosen area.

An Evaluation of Occupational Exposures to Pesticides in Brazil

All over the world, pesticides are frequently used in large quantities. Even though these substances are potentially toxic and may affect the human health, depending on the degree of exposure, contamination, and toxicity, they are nevertheless constantly released into the environment. Currently, predominantly organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate (CBM) pesticides, which are considered neurotoxic due to their potential to inhibit cholinesterase (ChE) activity, are used frequently in developing countries. Accordingly, many intoxication symptoms regarding these chemicals are diagnosed via the ChE analysis and its degree of inhibition. This is therefore the method of choice for biomonitoring exposed individuals, and has been described in the evaluation of thirteen Brazilian studies, which we retrieved from different online databases and present in this review. However, conflicting results on the effects on ChE as a result of repeated and prolonged exposure to low doses still prevail, mainly because farmers are usually exposed to mixtures of pesticides simultaneously. Reviews based exclusively on the laboratory analyses of ChE activity render the clinical interpretation difficult, as it is not a very sensitive method and does not efficiently address the reality of chronic intoxications in the absence of clinical signs. Many diseases among farmers are related to genetic damage, which includes carcinogenic and neurotoxic processes, reproductive and developmental defects, hormonal changes, as well as immune and neurodegenerative diseases. In this article, we therefore discuss the use of different biomarkers for the occupational evaluation, as clinical interpretations still require improvement and widely available laboratory tests still remain unattainable, especially with respect to individual conditions arising from mild to moderate exposures, which might have no immediate, but can have significant detrimental long-term health effects on the health of exposed individuals.

Suicide mortality among agricultural workers in a region with intensive tobacco farming and use of pesticides in Brazil

BACKGROUND: Pesticide poisoning is a known occupational hazard that has been associated with both depression and suicide. Little research has been done on neurobehavioral effects and mental health ...

Desafios para a avaliação toxicológica de agrotóxicos no Brasil: desregulação endócrina e imunotoxicidade

Intense usage of pesticides in Brazil poses a risk concerning arising of various and hazardously toxic effects such as towards to immunological and endocrine systems. Assays recommended by national and international guidelines possess limitations to perform a complete predictive evaluation of the broad spectrum of molecules and target-organs by pesticides with those properties.On the other hand interactions among immunological, endocrine and nervous systems difficult investigation of those hazards that may impact reproduction, metabolic processes, host resistance to pathogens and tumoral cells. Similar to drugs, a periodic licensing review of pesticides in Brazil must be adopted in urgent character in order to identify and ban de usage of health extremely hazardous pesticides. Although prescribed in law, licensing review demanded by health and environmental agencies is oftenly judicialized, preventing or delaying conclusion in several years. It is also upon demand a governmental policy regarding a transition from the current production model tied to agrobusiness to a production of agroecological basis.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Biomonitoring of Farmers and Residents Exposed to Pesticides in Brazil

In this study, the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding pesticide use and the levels of exposure of farmers and residents to organophosphorous and/or carbamates pesticides were evaluated in two rural settings in Brazil. A questionnaire was completed by 112 farm workers aged ≥18 years. Almost all farmers acknowledged that pesticides were potentially harmful to their health (87.5%); however, over half rarely (48.2%) or never (7.2%) used personal protective devices (PPDs). An association was found (p = 0.001) between the work regimen and the use of PPDs, with more frequent equipment use among hired laborers than those involved in family agriculture. A significant correlation (p = 0.027) was found between the reporting of adverse symptoms and the use of backpack sprayers. Mean AChE activities of farmers (n = 64) and residents (n = 18) during the exposure and non-exposure periods were significantly lower than their control groups. Mean BChE activities of farmers and residents were significantly lower than their controls during the exposure period. Among the 60 farmers that had blood samples collected in both the exposure and non-exposure (baseline) periods, 10 (16.7%) had AChE depletion of over 30% during the exposure period compared with the baseline level. Six residents living on the same farms also presented this depletion. AChE was over 30% higher than the baseline level for 19 farmers (31.7%), indicating a reboot effect. Special education programs are needed in these regions to promote the safe use of pesticides in the field to decrease the risks from exposure to pesticides for farmers, and from secondary exposure to these compounds for their families.

Influência do sistema de manejo na retenção e mobilidade da atrazina em amostras de solos

Atrazine is one of the most used pesticides in Brazil, however, its dynamic in soils is still unknown, specially regarding different management systems. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the sorption and leaching of atrazine in a dystroferric Red Latosol cultivated under no-till or conventional till management system. Sorption was evaluated using the “batch” method and the miscible displacement method, using undisturbed soil columns from 0-20 cm layer. Results were expressed by Freundlich isotherm and the elution curves were to the dispersive-convective model in order to obtain the retardation factor (R) and the hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient (D). No significant difference of the the Freundlich coefficient (Kf) was found in the soil samples under no-till or conventional till management systems. The retardation factor was higher and the hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient was lower in the samples under conventional till system, showing evidences of a higher leaching potential in soils under no-till system.

Modes of pesticides utilization by Brazilian smallholders and their implications for human health and the environment

Since 2008, Brazil has become the largest consumer of pesticides worldwide. This development follows four decades of governmental investments aimed at modernizing Brazilian agriculture. An unintended consequence of pesticide consumption has been the steady growth of human health problems and environmental contamination. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of how pesticides are routinely handled by smallholders in a tropical region of the Rio de Janeiro state and the potential environmental post-application fate based on chemical product characteristics. While our results do not confirm that the farmers’ apparent careless handling of pesticides is linked to an intentional disregard for intoxication risk, they do point to a more complex set of explanatory variables that include: labor scarcity, inadequacy of protective gear, mixing practices, and limited educational effectiveness of labeling standards. Mixing practices may be increasing the risk to human health and to the environment, especially given the toxicity levels of the fifteen active ingredients identified in this study. For ten of the commercially used pesticides identified we suggest further study. These chemicals can potentially contaminate groundwater through leaching and run-off due to their physicochemical characteristics which facilitate their mobility in the soil layers. Given the large consumption of pesticides in Brazil and the risks listed herein, we find urgent to address legislation, labeling, training and other measures that would provide incentives to reduce intoxication risks to both Brazilian farmers and the environment.

P2-231 Stomach cancer mortality among agricultural workers: results from a Brazilian death certificate-based case-control study

IntroductionThe use of pesticides in Brazil has been high. It is important to assess the risks related to the use of these substances. Some studies have reported an association between...

Correlation Between Serum Concentrations of Organochlorines and Endocrine and Immune Markers in Adolescents Exposed to Residues of Organochlorine Pesticides in Brazil

PP-29-096 Background/Aims: To evaluate the correlation between serum concentrations of organochlorine exposure biomarkers and markers of immune and endocrine effects in adolescents in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods: Laboratory results were obtained in serum concentrations of the isomers of HCH and DDT metabolites, and serum eosinophils, interleukin-6, and IgE for the immunological evaluation, and T3, T4, TSH, Cortisol, Prolactin, FSH, LH, and estradiol for endocrine evaluation, all of them from the data collection from medical records at a local health unit from a previous screening. Results: There is a strong correlation between increased serum markers immunological and serum organochlorines, with special emphasis on the correlation between eosinophilic and dieldrin, HCH IgE and α, γ HCH, p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDD and p,p′-DDT, and interleukin and β HCH and the dieldrin, all with statistical significance. The same is not observed for the concentrations of endocrine markers. Conclusion: Apparently, the immune system has undergone more significant changes than the endocrine system. However, it is recommended that periodic monitoring and evaluation of health of this population, considering that the blood is altered especially at this critical period of development.

Changes in Immune and Endocrine Effect Markers in Adolescents Exposed to Residues of Organochlorine Pesticides in Brazil.

PP-29-095 Background/Aims: To evaluate the concentration of immunological and endocrine markers among adolescents exposed to organochlorine pesticide residues in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods: We obtained laboratory results of serum eosinophils, IL6 (interleukin-6), and IgE for the immunological evaluation, and T3, T4, TSH, Cortisol, Prolactin, FSH, LH, and estradiol for endocrine evaluation, from the data collection from medical records at a local health unit from a previous screening. Results: We observed that concentrations were considered well above the tolerance limits allowed for immunological markers. The distribution shows typical asymmetrical pattern, due to the presence of individuals with concentrations outlier distribution. Special attention was given to eosinophils (mean 5.54, SD: ±5.29), IL6 (mean 4.53, SD: ±6.28), and IgE (mean 719.94, SD: ±1528.05). As for endocrine markers, observed concentrations were slightly altered, sometimes within the normal range. The average values were as follows: free T4 (1:15 mean ± SD: 0.55), TSH (mean 2.61 ± SD 6.94), cortisol (mean 137.78 ± SD: 57.95), T3 (mean 162.94 ± SD 40.40), LH (mean ± SD 10.52 14.08), prolactin (mean 10.96 ± SD 11.12), estradiol (mean 126.99 ± SD: 533.02), and FSH (18.79 mean ± SD 27.80). Conclusion: Apparently, the immune system has undergone more significant changes than the endocrine system. However, periodic monitoring and evaluation of health of this population is recommended, considering that the blood is altered especially at this critical period of development.

Mood Disorders Hospitalizations, Suicide Attempts, and Suicide Mortality Among Agricultural Workers and Residents in an Area With Intensive Use of Pesticides in Brazil

As suicide rates have increased in rural areas in Brazil, it was postulated that pesticide exposure may play a role in this phenomenon. Our study compared the suicide mortality rates observed among agricultural workers from a pesticide-intensive area in Brazil to the suicide mortality frequency noted in three reference populations. In addition, hospitalization rates attributed to suicide attempts and mood disorders including depression in residents of the same agricultural area were compared to two reference populations. Finally, data on pesticide sales per agricultural worker were obtained for each city of Rio de Janeiro State and suicide mortality risk was then calculated according to the quartiles of pesticide sales per agricultural workers, using the first quartile as reference. Agricultural workers were at greater risk for lethality due to suicide when compared to all three reference populations. In addition, residents of the same study area showed higher hospitalization rates by suicide attempts and mood disorders than observed in comparison populations. Results also showed that the risk of death by suicide was significantly higher among agricultural workers who lived in areas of Rio de Janeiro State displaying higher rates of pesticide expenditure per agricultural worker. These results suggest that pesticide exposure may indeed increase the risk of suicide frequency, especially among agricultural workers.

Estimating the social cost of pesticide use: An assessment from acute poisoning in Brazil

The intensive use of pesticides in countries like Brazil has ignored structural and institutional shortfalls, such as the lack of workforce training for the new, difficult to implement technologies, and the institutional vulnerability of the environmental protection, health, and safety sectors. As a result we have “invisible” or social, environmental and health costs which end up being socialised with the farmer, in general, having no incentives to recognise and internalise them. This study is intended to review and develop this problem in the light of the Brazilian reality. To this end, we make use of an empirical exercise to illustrate estimation of the social cost associated with acute poisoning by pesticide using the PREVS/IBGE data (Harvest Forecast Research) in the state of Paraná, Brazil. The results suggest that, for maize, the costs of acute poisoning could represent 64% of the benefits of using herbicides and insecticides, and, in the best of hypotheses, when some risk factors are eliminated, they may reach 8% of the benefits of the use of these products. Similarly, when we examine future scenarios for five and ten years, we find less encouraging results, as in ten years the costs of acute poisoning could reach around 85% of the benefit of using insecticides and herbicides for maize. However, there is the encouraging news that, if preventive measures were taken during this time, the gains would be considerable, about 6.5 times greater. We conclude that an assessment of the real benefits involved with pesticides in Brazil is required, principally in regard to the smallholder, where farmers need more training in the use — or even the elimination — of these hazardous substances. There are sustainable technological options available which are economically efficient, especially if we consider the social, environmental and health costs. In this context it is worth highlighting the role of regulatory measures as a mechanism which can reorient generation of negative external costs through the reduction of current incentives in the socialisation of private costs.

Impacto da legislação no registro de agrotóxicos de maior toxicidade no Brasil

To evaluate the impact of the application of the "Pesticides Law" (Law no. 7,802/89) on the toxicological classification profile of registered pesticides in Brazil, from 1990 to 2000. Data on registered commercial products in the years 1990 and 2000 were analyzed according to toxicological class, date of registration of the active ingredient (before or after the Law) and usage class (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and others). Relative Identified Distribution Analysis was utilized for verifying statistical differences between distributions according to toxicological classes. Among the 863 registered commercial products in 2000, 46.6% were already registered before the Pesticide Law. Among the 461 commercial products registered after the Law, 59.2% were derivatives of active ingredients registered before the Law, and 41.4% were classified as highly hazardous (classes I and II of the Brazilian toxicological classification). No significant differences in toxicological classification profile were identified between the group of pesticides derived from active ingredients registered before the Law and the group derived from active ingredients registered after the Law (p<0.0859). Ten years after the Pesticide Law came into effect, no significant improvement had been observed in the toxicological classification profile of registered pesticides. This was due especially to the continuing presence of products registered before the Law and the registration of new commercial products derived from "old" active ingredients. There was still a high proportion of registrations in the most hazardous classes. It is recommended that compulsory periodic reevaluation of all registered pesticides should be reestablished.

Fast supercritical fluid extraction and high-resolution gas chromatography with electron-capture and flame photometric detection for multiresidue screening of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides in Brazil’s medicinal plants

A description is given of a rapid and environmentally friendly method to determine organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticide multiresidues—malathion, methidathion, fenitrothion, fenthion, parathion-ethyl, parathion-methyl, lindane, hexachlorobenzene, chlorothalonil, tetradifon, α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan and dieldrin—in Passiflora alata Dryander and Passiflora edulis Sims. f. flavicarpa Deg. leaves by supercritical fluid extraction and high-resolution gas chromatography with electron-capture and flame photometric detection (HRGC–ECD/FPD). The mild extraction conditions [pure CO 2; 100 bar (1 bar=10 5 Pa) and 40 °C ( ρ=0.62 g/ml); 5 min static+10 min dynamic extraction time; ODS trap and elution with 1 ml n-hexane at 2 ml/min] allow for direct analysis by HRGC–ECD/FPD with no prior cleaning procedure. The method provides, in accordance with the validation criteria of the European Pharmacopoeia, analytical results that are similar or even better than the official procedures, and is simpler, faster and cheaper. Mean recoveries of 69.8–107.1% were obtained, with 1.4–14.7% reproducibility (RSD). The method was applied to analyse commercial samples of Passiflora L. from Brazil. Twenty-three percent of the samples showed the presence of the organochlorine or organophosphorus pesticide residue investigated.

Cytogenetic and molecular biomonitoring of agricultural workers exposed to pesticides in Brazil

The use of agricultural chemicals without correct protection may lead to alterations in the genetic material of cells and the possible development of several types of tumors. The individual genetic variability in the enzymes which metabolize agricultural chemicals is also involved in this process, such as when the enzymes are not efficient in the detoxifying process of the organism, the metabolic subproducts accumulate, contributing to the tumorigenic process. Cytogenetic monitoring was carried out on a group of 20 male workers occupationally exposed to a mixture of pesticides in the town of São Jerônimo da Serra, PR (Brazil). Student's t = test and Wilcoxon's test showed, respectively, that there was no significant difference between the chromosome aberration frequencies between the exposed and control groups and between the paired individuals. However, there was a significant difference in the two analyses regarding the mitotic index of the sampled individuals. Smoking and time of exposure to agricultural chemicals did not influence the cytogenetic responses obtained, but the mitotic index of the control individuals was higher than that of the exposed individuals from the different age groups. The GSTM1 gene polymorphism was 33% null. When statistical tests were carried out to assess the relationship of the GSTM1 genotypes with the chromosome aberrations and mitotic indexes, there was no significant difference. The CA frequencies found in this study were low, making it difficult to associate it with the GSTM1 gene polymorphism. Teratogenesis Carcinog. Mutagen. 20:161–170, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cytogenetic and molecular biomonitoring of agricultural workers exposed to pesticides in Brazil

The use of agricultural chemicals without correct protection may lead to alterations in the genetic material of cells and the possible development of several types of tumors. The individual genetic variability in the enzymes which metabolize agricultural chemicals is also involved in this process, such as when the enzymes are not efficient in the detoxifying process of the organism, the metabolic subproducts accumulate, contributing to the tumorigenic process. Cytogenetic monitoring was carried out on a group of 20 male workers occupationally exposed to a mixture of pesticides in the town of São Jerônimo da Serra, PR (Brazil). Student's t = test and Wilcoxon's test showed, respectively, that there was no significant difference between the chromosome aberration frequencies between the exposed and control groups and between the paired individuals. However, there was a significant difference in the two analyses regarding the mitotic index of the sampled individuals. Smoking and time of exposure to agricultural chemicals did not influence the cytogenetic responses obtained, but the mitotic index of the control individuals was higher than that of the exposed individuals from the different age groups. The GSTM1 gene polymorphism was 33% null. When statistical tests were carried out to assess the relationship of the GSTM1 genotypes with the chromosome aberrations and mitotic indexes, there was no significant difference. The CA frequencies found in this study were low, making it difficult to associate it with the GSTM1 gene polymorphism. Teratogenesis Carcinog. Mutagen. 20:161-170, 2000.

A recent assessment of cocoa and pesticides in Brazil: an unhealthy blend for plantation workers

Cocoa is the major source of income for the Brazilian state of Bahia and some 2.3 million people rely on the crop for their livelihood. Most cocoa is grown on large plantations where working conditions are often extremely poor. Few workers using pesticides on plantations, or on smallholdings, have had instruction about safe working practices. Protective clothing is rarely available. The result is frequent complaints about health. None of this is likely to improve in the short term given Brazil's perilous economic situation.