Risk Of Pesticide Use Research Articles

Environmental risk assessment of pesticide use in high-tech agriculture in a valley of northwest Mexico

ABSTRACT A level 1 Environmental Risk Assessment, based on the USEPA guidelines, was conducted using a risk quotient to evaluate the risk of pesticide use. The Culiacan Valley was chosen as study area because of its importance as agricultural zone in northwest Mexico. Records of pesticide applications allowed the critical contaminants to be identified, and a stratified random sampling was carried out to assess pesticide presence in agricultural soils. For each pesticide detected a toxicity reference value was used, and the risk quotient was determined based on the worst possible scenario for five trophic levels. Critical contaminants such as organochlorines, organophosphates and synthetic pyrethroids represented high risk for aquatic and low risk for terrestrial biota. Overall, the study indicates that a more exhaustive risk assessment should be conducted. This information could be useful in the design of better pesticide regulations aimed at mitigating undesirable environmental consequences.

Modeling atrazine molecule dynamics in rhodic ferralsol: calibration and testing of the MACRO 5.2 model

Assessing the risks of pesticide use in the environment, especially in groundwater, requires predicting their movement. Pesticide leaching models represent an accessible and economical method to predict groundwater and surface water pollution and should be calibrated based on experimental data to better understand the dynamics of pesticides in soil and ensure their efficiency. This long-term study explored the ability of the MACRO model to describe water movement and atrazine distribution along the profile of a Rhodic Ferralsol cultivated with corn in western Paraná, Brazil, using data from a drainage lysimeter under high intensity simulated rainfall (150 mm h-1). The soil parameters analyzed in the laboratory were used as pedotransfer functions. The initial simulations showed significant differences, due to the particularities of the model and the complexity of the soil and its pore space, so the tests adjusted the retention curve and the sorption parameters. After final adjustments to the model, the simulated atrazine mass results were evaluated. Calibration of pesticide concentrations required small changes in sorption and degradation rates, and the results were compared to quantities measured at a specific depth. The simulation of atrazine transport was considered acceptable, estimating 0.71, 4.63, and 3.05% of the total mass of atrazine in percolate, runoff and retained in the profile, respectively.

Towards sustainable crop protection in agriculture: A framework for research and policy

CONTEXTEuropean countries have set ambitious targets to reduce the risks of pesticide use. Achieving these targets will require a large proportion of farmers to adopt sustainable crop protection practices. However, how to enable this transition and what are the best policies to support farmers remain open questions. OBJECTIVEHere, we provide a coherent review of existing evidence and new insights into farmer decision-making and policy analysis in the context of the transition to more sustainable crop protection. We synthesise and extend the empirical evidence and the conceptual and methodological foundations to examine farmers' decisions to adopt sustainable crop protection and to assess the potential of different policy measures to support this transition. Our analysis focuses on European agriculture. METHODSWe provide a framework and synthesise evidence by reviewing the literature and combining agronomic and economic perspectives. We focus on three issues: i) indicators for empirical analyses of adoption of sustainable crop protection practices; ii) behavioural perspectives on farmer adoption; iii) insights into methodological approaches for assessing adoption of sustainable crop protection practices and related policies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONWe have identified four main findings and implications. First, sustainable crop protection practices consist of combinations and bundles of individual measures that are not currently regularly considered in policy instruments and policy analysis. Second, definitions of adoption should move from simple adoption metrics to impacts, for example on pesticide risk reduction. Third, behavioural factors are highly relevant to farmers' adoption decisions, but are currently under-researched and under-represented in the field of sustainable crop protection practices. Fourth, the tools currently used for policy analysis do not allow these key aspects to be represented. We draw policy conclusions. SIGNIFICANCEOur analyses help guide policy decisions to achieve pesticide use and risk reduction objectives, and have implications for pesticide policy in Europe and beyond. We identify gaps in current conceptual and methodological approaches, promising avenues for future research, and ways to make results more coherent and comparable. Our analysis thus provides new insights and templates to guide future research and policy analysis on the adoption of sustainable crop protection approaches.

Study on Consumer’s Perception of Ampligo (Syngenta) Insecticide in Barabanki District of Uttar Pradesh, India

Insecticides are chemicals used to control insects by killing or preventing them. These chemicals are important in agriculture to protect crops from pests that can reduce yield and quality. Insecticides come in many forms, including sprays, powders, and granules, and can be classified according to their chemical composition, such as organophosphates, pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids. While Insecticides are effective in controlling pests, they pose risks to human health, beneficial insects such as pollinators, and the environment. Overuse can cause pests to develop resistance, making them harder to control over time. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies consider the use of Insecticides in conjunction with other practices such as biological control and crop rotation to minimize adverse impacts during agricultural management. Assessing the benefits and risks of pesticide use is critical to sustainable pest management. This study focused on consumer perception of Ampligo insecticide in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh. A sample of 100 respondents was selected from seven selected villages. During the research, it was determined that there were two businesses engaged in amligo marketing in the study area. Among them, most survey respondents prefer Pipeline II in dealing with business owners in the amligo industry, and 21 (21%) farmers prefer to purchase agrochemicals based on quality. Purchasing, about 15 (15%) farmers prefer commercial products, 13 (13%) farmers buy agricultural products as commercial products, about 07 (7%) farmers purchase agricultural products - persuade products through advertising strategies, 6 (6).) farmers get information about the product from their friends, neighbors or other people, and about 4 (4%) farmers like the appeal of the packaging.

Identifying opportunities for high resolution pesticide usage data to improve the efficiency of endangered species pesticide risk assessment

The US pesticide registration and review process requires regular re-assessment of the risk of pesticide use to species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), yet current assessment methods are inefficient when applied to hundreds of pesticides potentially impacting multiple species across a continent. Thus, many pesticides remain on the market without complete review. We assessed the value of using high resolution pesticide usage data in the risk assessment process to rapidly improve process efficiency. By using data available only in California, we found that high resolution data increased the number of species deemed not likely to be adversely affected by pesticides from <5 % to nearly 50 %. Across the contiguous US, we predicted that 48 % of species would be deemed not likely to be adversely affected using high resolution data, compared to 20 % without. However, if such data were available in just 11 states, 68 % of the available gains in efficiency could be obtained. Overall, using existing high-resolution data in California and a focused collection of such information from 11 other states could reduce risk assessment burden across the contiguous U.S. by one-quarter.

Environmental risks due to the impact of pesticide load in agrocenoses of cereal crop predecessors

The article is dedicated to the study of the impact of pesticide load on agrocenoses of cereal crop predecessors and the emergence of ecological risks in them. An assessment of ecological risks in the agrocenoses of the experimental field of the State Enterprise “Research Farm “Skvyrske” of IAEM of NAAS” was carried out using pesticides during the growing seasons 2021–2023. The methodology for assessing ecological risks of potential pesticide pollution of agrocenoses by indicators of agroecotoxicological index (AETI) was used. It was determined that the level of ecological risk from pesticide pressure in the crop rotation of the experimental field by AETI is within the range from 2.86·10–3 to 2.24·10–1 сonventional units and is characterized as slightly dangerous, which indicates a minimal ecological risk of pesticide use. The obtained results are a sign that the load of applied pesticides on the agrocenoses of the experimental farm corresponds to the territory’s ability to self-clean. It is shown that rational use of chemical methods of plant protection in combating pests, disease pathogens and weeds creates prerequisites for obtaining environmentally safe grain and seed products, as well as minimizes the likelihood of environmental of grain and seed contamination with pesticides of cultivated crops. Usually, longterm and repeated use of pesticides in any case leads to accumulation of their residues or metabolites in the soil and, as a result, is a source of contamination of crop products and environmental objects. Therefore, using the results of assessing pesticide load on agroecosystems, taking into account the territory’s ability to self-clean, can be considered as one of the levers for managing environmental risks. To minimize ecological risks from pesticide pollution of agrocenoses and increase environmental safety of agroecosystems, measures should be taken to regulate the use of chemical plant protection products. This should be done by banning or restricting the use of pesticides that have a high level of ecotoxicity and are persistent in soil.

KNOWLEDGE LEVELS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES USAGE AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN ETSAKO WEST LG.A, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

The study evaluated the level of awareness of the risk of pesticide use on the environment in Edo North. The study was conducted among 400 farmers from twenty (20) villages in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Most frequently used pesticides were within the WHO class II pesticides (moderately toxic), which are considered as moderately hazardous. A few cases of highly toxic (DDVP 1000G/L EC) were reported. There was no report of DDT and Endosulfan which have been banned globally or have restricted use under the Stockholm Convention. Major drivers of pesticides purchase was affordability (50.8%). Irrespective of age, majority of the sampled farmers do not read pesticides labels before use, while farmers with no formal education (67.1%), reported they don’t read pesticides labels. More, so farmers with less than 5years farming experience (76.3%) also do not read labels before use. Reliance on the success stories of co-farmers and lack of clarity of information on pesticides labels were major reasons for not reading pesticides labels. Generally, farmers’ level of awareness of environmental effects of pesticides uses does not significantly depend on the age, educational background and years of farming experience at ρ &gt; 0.05, d = 0.24), (ρ &gt; 0.05, d = 0.29) (ρ &gt; 0.05, d = 0.28) respectively, an indication that farmers don’t just like to read labels as long as the pesticides is effective. Detailed information on the knowledge and awareness of environmental risks associated with pesticide use among farmers is essential towards policy making for reducing the risk to the environment.

An Economic Insight into Pesticide Usage in Indian Agriculture and its Policy Implications

Among the agri-inputs, pesticide use will continue as an efficient crop protection measure. An appropriate pesticide choice, use, and disposal are crucial to moderating the hazard. The study analysed the pesticide use pattern and its effect on agri-export by highlighting the significant concerns that need attention to regulate the risk of pesticide use. The results indicated a rising trend in pesticide use, with a growth rate of 1.54 per cent per annum in the recent period. Due to the pesticide residues, European markets have the highest (12.80 per cent) export rejections. The existence of substandard and spurious pesticides, research on pesticide application behaviour and hazardous pesticide restriction is to be treated as critical in India to moderate the pesticide hazard. Keywords: Export rejections, pesticide restriction, pesticides use pattern, residual effect. JEL Codes: O13, Q12, Q18.

Occupational and environmental pesticide exposure and associated health risks among pesticide applicators and non-applicator residents in rural Ethiopia.

Intensive pesticide use increased concern about the potential acute and chronic health effects of pesticides in general and among applicators in particular. This study aims to explore occupational and environmental pesticide exposure and health risks among pesticide applicators and residents. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1,073 individuals. We examined the health effects potentially attributable to pesticide exposure using regression to estimate prevalence ratios (PR). A higher proportion of good knowledge of pesticides [75 vs. 14%; APR = 1.542 (1.358-1.752), p < 0.001] and a higher mean score of perceived health risk of pesticide use [4.21 vs. 3.90; APR = 1.079 (1.004-1.159), p < 0.05] were observed among applicators than residents. A significantly higher proportion of applicators experienced health effects presumably related to pesticide exposure among themselves (36%) than residents (16%), and a higher proportion of them used prescribed drugs in the past 12 months [51 vs. 32%; APR = 1.140 (1.003-1.295), p < 0.05]. Skin irritation, shortness of breath, cough, and dizziness were more likely reported by applicators than residents. Perceived toxicity of currently applied pesticide products, mix pesticides without gloves, regularly maintain and wash sprayer tank after application, occurrence of an incidental splash during mixing and application, and using home-based care after experiencing a symptom presumably due to pesticide exposure were significantly associated with health effects among applicators. Use of face mask and visiting health facility when experiencing a symptom presumably due to pesticide exposure were significantly positively correlated with attending training on the health risks and use of pesticides. A substantial proportion of applicators reported improper use of preventive measures and methods of pesticide waste disposal. These observations point out that applicators can face high health risks of occupational pesticide exposure in Ethiopia. Even trained applicators pursued poor preventive practices; hence, comprehensive practice-oriented in-depth training focusing on safety precautions and proper use of personal protective equipment, and provision of adequate pesticide waste disposal means are crucial interventions.

Методы изучения миграции пестицидов: анализ, сравнение, рекомендации по использованию при оценке риска воздействия на грунтовые воды

Groundwater pollution with pesticides has affected every country on every continent. An important challenge for researchers and regulatorу bodies in all countries is to develop methods and tools for predicting the risks to groundwater that are associated with pesticide use. In this paper, the generally accepted methods for studying pesticides migration are reviewed and analyzed from the point of view of their applicability for assessing the risk of pesticides impact on groundwater. Using examples, it is shown that the available methods may be divided into two categories, direct and indirect ones. The indirect methods (mobility indices and field studies of pesticide migration) make it possible to compare the migration ability of a pesticide molecule and to determine the depth of penetration of the pesticide into the soil. The direct methods (modeling, lysimetric studies, and monitoring) provide for the determination of pesticide concentrations in groundwater or groundwater leachate, which makes such methods useful in assessing the risk of pesticide use. Thus, by comparing the measured pesticide concentrations in water with acceptable threshold values, it is possible to determine the risk level of a pesticide. Examples of calculating the mobility indices indicate that their estimates differ from each other. Disadvantages of migration field experiments are related to analytical problems and to the short duration of a study. Modeling the migration of pesticides is an effective tool that makes it possible to quickly determine pesticides concentration of in water runoff and to identify the pesticides that can pollute groundwater under specific soil and climatic conditions. Calculations show that for 40 pesticides out of 180 licensed for use in the Russian Federation, their predicted concentrations exceed 1 µg/l. The second method that allows to directly determine concentrations in leachate is lysimetric experiments. A long-term study of the migration of 4 pesticides showed that all toxicants migrate beyond the soil profile. A third useful tool is pesticides monitoring in groundwater. Further development and dissemination of this method for controlling pesticides in groundwater is an important task for the regulatory authorities and the scientific community of the Russian Federation in the near future.

Using a bio-economic farm model to evaluate the economic potential and pesticide load reduction of the greenRelease technology

CONTEXTPolicies and strategies at EU and national level aim at a reduced use of pesticides in agriculture, such as the Farm to Fork Strategy of the EU Commission. Technological progress can lower pesticide application and contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy. As an example, the greenRelease technology increases the attachment of the active ingredient of plant protection products to the leaf surface and slowly releases the active ingredient from a microgel container. Experiments under both controlled and field conditions have demonstrated the potential of the greenRelease technology to reduce pesticide use. As a so-called platform technology, the greenRelease concept can be applied to various crops and plant protection chemicals. OBJECTIVETo guide further development, this study analyses the greenRelease technology regarding its economic potential and its possible contribution to the reduction of environmental and health risks from pesticide use. METHODSTo do so, we use a bio-economic farm model to assess the technology potential for a typical farm and spraying sequences of various crops in northwestern Germany. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe results reveal that the economic potential of the greenRelease technology is highest for systemic fungicides in all assessed crops as well as for herbicides for potato cultivation. It is lowest for insecticides in winter barley and potato as well as for contact fungicides, due to the small doses and low product costs. The potential to lower possible environmental and health risks of pesticide use, indicated by the Danish pesticide load indicator, is highest for fungicides in potato, winter wheat, and winter barley as well as for herbicides in sugar beet cultivation. Relative to overall costs in arable farming, the cost changes induced by the greenRelease technology are minor, such that the environmental benefits will be key for promoting its application. However, the economic competitiveness of the technology increases if agri-environmental policies progressively internalize the negative externalities of pesticides use. SIGNIFICANCEThis research is the first comprehensive economic and environmental assessment of the technology greenRelease which can contribute to lower the environmental burden of pesticide use in agriculture.

Pesticide Use, Perceived Health Risks and Management in Ethiopia and in Hungary: A Comparative Analysis.

Pesticides play a very important role for ensuring food security and economic growth but their use can cause harmful effects to human health and to the environment. The study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge, health risk perceptions, and experiences on the practice of pesticide use and management among extension officers in Ethiopia and plant doctors in Hungary. A questionnaire survey among 326 officers was conducted in the two study areas and data were analyzed by ordinal logistic regression. According to the findings, Hungarian officers had much better knowledge of pesticide products (92%), and less frequently experienced pesticide poisoning among applicators (7%) than the Ethiopians (66% and 41%, respectively). Hungarian officers perceived less health risk of pesticide use (AOR = 0.46, 95%, Cl: 0.27–0.80), were ten times more likely to deem the pesticide management system effective (AOR = 10.23, 95%, Cl: 5.68–18.46) and were nine times more likely to report that applicators used personal protective equipment (AOR = 8.95, 95%, Cl: 4.94–16.28). A significant proportion of officers from both countries reported inappropriate methods of pesticide residue disposal. These observations point out that the situation of pesticide use and knowledge and management of pesticide products is definitely better in Hungary; nevertheless, the issue continues to need more attention in both settings.

Knowledge and Awareness on the Risks of Pesticide Use Among Farmers at Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Obtaining information about the knowledge and awareness of the risk of pesticide use among farmers is essential to reduce the risk to the environment and health. This study aims to measure the level of knowledge of the risk of pesticide use to the environment and health, the level of awareness of pesticide use and to evaluate the relationship between both sociodemographic and knowledge factors toward awareness of pesticide use. The study was conducted among 360 farmers from Pulau Pinang. The results showed that the farmers’ level of awareness on pesticide use was moderate, although their level of knowledge on the risks of pesticide use to the environment and health was high. Farmers higher awareness of the prohibition of using harmful pesticides but the awareness level on how to dispose of used pesticide containers was low. This is driven by the factor of moderate knowledge of the existence of pesticide residue. There is a strong relationship of awareness with the educational factor, a moderate relationship for the area of paddy field factor, and also for the experience factor. There is also significant moderate relationship for knowledge on the risks of pesticide use to the environment and health with awareness. The government should emphasize furthering the educational program, the management and safe operating procedures for pesticides, and giving incentives to farmers who lack knowledge and experience, especially to younger farmers, as well as reducing environmental taxes and giving an incentive to farmers who cultivate paddy fields on a large scale.

Sulfoxaflor and nutritional deficiency synergistically reduce survival and fecundity in bumblebees

A range of anthropogenic factors are causing unprecedented bee declines. Among these drivers the usage of pesticides is believed to be crucial. While the use of key bee-harming insecticides, such as the neonicotinoids, has been reduced by regulatory authorities, novel, less studied substances have occupied their market niche. Understanding the threat of these chemicals to bees is, therefore, crucial to their conservation.Here we focus on sulfoxaflor, a novel insecticide, targeting the same neural receptor as the neonicotinoids. In stark contrast to the growing concerns around its negative impacts on bee health, a recent assessment has resulted in the extension of its authorisations across the USA. However, such assessments may underestimate risks by overlooking interactive impacts of multiple stressors. Here we investigated co-occurring, lethal and sublethal risks of sulfoxaflor and a dietary stress for bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), a key pollinator. Specifically, we employed a novel microcolony design, where, for the first time in bees, pesticide exposure mimicked natural degradation. We orally exposed workers to sulfoxaflor and a sugar-deficient diet in a fully factorial design.Field realistic, worst-case sulfoxaflor exposure caused a sharp increase in bee mortality. At sublethal concentrations, sulfoxaflor negatively affected bee fecundity, but not survival. Nutritional stress reduced bee fecundity and synergistically or additively aggravated impacts of sulfoxaflor on bee survival, egg laying and larval production.Our data show that non-mitigated label uses of sulfoxaflor may have major, yet severely neglected effects on bumblebee health, which may be exacerbated by nutritional stress.By unravelling mechanistic interactions of synergistic risks, our study highlights the need to overcome inherent limitations of Environmental Risk Assessment schemes, which, being based on a “single stressor paradigm”, may fail to inform policymakers of the real risks of pesticide use.

Environmental and Health Risks of Pesticide Use in Ethiopia.

Background.There are frequent reports of unsafe pesticide use in many parts of Africa. Ethiopia is the second most populous nation in Africa with around 80% of the population still depending on agriculture which intensively uses pesticides. A number of studies have examined pesticide-related health and environmental risks in Ethiopia. However, most of these studies have been small in scale and it is therefore challenging to get a general overview of the extent of health risks and level of environmental contamination in the country.Objectives.The aim of the present study was to synthesize and summarize contemporary knowledge on pesticide-related risks and relevant gaps in Ethiopia.Methods.An electronic database search and gathering of grey literature were done to collect information on the risks of pesticide use in Ethiopia. The electronic search was conducted using MEDLINE (via PubMed) without any publication date or language specifications. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) checklist was used as guide in the creation of this review.Discussion.A synthesis of the reviewed studies showed evidence of health risks due to occupational pesticide exposure, surface water pollution with pesticides that could cause chronic health risks to the public, evidence of pesticide contamination of the environment (e.g., soil organisms, fish, bee colonies and wildlife) and local as well as international consumer risks due to pesticide residues in food items. In addition, there have been frequent reports of health and environmental hazards in association with cut-flower farms. There is also evidence of direct use of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) on food crops and detection of DDT residues in surface water, soil and human breast milk. Those reported risks might be due to lack of knowledge among farm workers, negligence of farm owners, absence of post-registration monitoring systems and poor implementation of both national and international regulations in Ethiopia due to poor institutional capacity.Conclusions.The health and environmental risks of inappropriate use of pesticides requires action by all concerned bodies. Improved institutional arrangements for enforcement of regulations, awareness and further intervention studies could lessen the high risks of pesticide misuse.Competing Interests.The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Toxicological and ecotoxocological characteristics of pesticides important for their sustainable use

Modern concept of reducing the risk of pesticide use is based on the concept of sustainable use of pesticides. The concept of sustainable use of pesticides presents the range of professional rules, acts, skills of the pesticides use with the aim to promote the plant protection with decreased usage of pesticides, providing, whenever it is possible, advantage to non-chemical methods of plant protection. The most important part of sustainable pesticide usage is integrated plant protection. Integrated plant protection implies the application and integration of all available methods of plant protection which prevent the development of population of the harmful organisms above the level of harmfulness, considering that the usage of means for plant protection is at the level which is economically and ecologically justified. Risks for the human health and the environment is decreased or at least reduced to the minimum by the concept of pesticide application according to the integrated plant protection. Pesticides have certain potential to cause damage effect if people and the other organisms are exposed at the certain conditions and amount. Modern toxicology is directed to determine the safe dose, meaning the dose without the harmful effect as well as finding out the way of safe pesticide use. Considering the modern toxicology, two important terms are hazard and risk. Hazard is the intrinsic characteristic of the chemicals to cause the harmful effect at the defined conditions of the exposition. Risk is probability of manifestation of the harmful effect at the certain conditions of the exposition. The harmful effects of pesticides on humans mostly depend on the pesticides’ own toxicity but on the human’s exposure as well. The exposure of people to pesticides can appear at the working place. Farmers can be exposed to pesticides during the work in the open field and protected space, while the significant exposure can appear with workers in the pesticide industry as well as with workers who deal with jobs of deratization and disinsection and with workers in pesticides wholesale and retail. Estimation of the exposure of the agricultural workers is complex. Professional users are mostly exposed but the exposure is episodic. The particular problem is estimation of the exposure of the field workers and their householders as well. Therefore, while estimating the people’s exposure to pesticides in theresidential buildings, the remains of the pesticides in water, food, dust and air in and around the house is considered. Increased amounts of the pesticides in the house dust are related to exposure which depends on the distance between houses and the pesticide-treated fields, exposure in the house due to the fact that one or two householder work in the agriculture and larger use of pesticides in the residential buildings for treating different insects in the house or yard. Pesticides, besides their negative effects on people’s health, can have harmful effect on the environment, meaning that they can contaminate surface and underground water, soil and air, and to have toxic effects onto non-target organisms. There is a large number of documented papers where is proved that use of pesticides has great consequences onto the population of autochthonous wild animals. Integrated plant protection and sustainable use of pesticides cannot be only a declarative determinant. A wide range of steps have to be undertaken to enable their use in practice. Future imposes huge professional challenges related to the use of pesticides. The need to fulfill the different, sometimes even opposite demands is often imposed. On one side it is demanded to provide pesticides efficiency in protection from the harmful organisms and on the other side sustainable use and decreasing the risk for people and environment. Development of the new pesticides with the new ways of action and improved safety profiles and application of the alternative systems of plant production which will be less dependent on the pesticides could reduce the exposure to pesticides and side effects on people. The use of appropriate and well maintained equipment for pesticide use, while taking all protection measures at all stages of pesticides handling, can reduce the exposure to pesticides. Implementing the concept of sustainable use of pesticides is difficult, but for now it is the only promising way to ensure the protection of people, the environment and the production of healthy food.

Understanding farmers’ safety behavior regarding pesticide use in Morocco

Abstract Unsafe pesticide use is a significant concern in rural areas, resulting in serious threats to farmer and environmental health. This problem can be especially severe in developing countries, including Morocco. However, few studies have explored the factors influencing farmers’ safety behavior regarding pesticide use in this country. Hence, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 232 arboricultural farmers in 12 counties of Morocco's Saiss Plain to assess farmers’ pesticide safety behavior. Farmers’ characteristics, knowledge of pesticides, perceived risk, health consequences, subjective norms, and safety behavior data were collected and analyzed using a structural equation model (SEM). The majority of farmers have long term experience with pesticide use, but they followed poor safety practices, including insufficient use of personal protective equipment during pesticide handling. As a result, farmers showed a high incidence of health problems related to pesticide use (e.g., skin irritation and headaches). Unsafe pesticide handling was mostly attributable to farmers’ low education levels and insufficient training. Consequently, farmers applied high amounts of pesticides to increase production quantities (an average of 12.02 kg/ha per growing season). Although banned in the country, considerable use of organochlorines (i.e., endosulfan) and organophosphorus (i.e., chlorpyrifos ethyl and chlorpyrifos methyl) were reported. Adherence to safety behaviors while handling pesticides significantly improved with high levels of pesticide knowledge (standardized path coefficient, SPC = 0.31) and the perceived severity of the associated health risks (SPC = 0.27). Conversely, uncertainty about the risks of pesticide use was associated with a lower likelihood of adopting safety measures (SPC = 0.24). Improved knowledge of safe pesticide handling and training courses on the risks posed by pesticide exposure to human and environmental health are urgently needed to improve farmers’ safety behavior in Morocco.

Occupational exposure to organophosphorus and carbamates in farmers in La Cienega, Jalisco, Mexico: oxidative stress and membrane fluidity markers

BackgroundThe region of La Cienega in Jalisco Mexico, is an important agricultural reference for the production of corn, sorghum and wheat, among other grains, so the use of pesticides for pest control is high. However, in this rural area there are no toxicological studies that assess the occupational risk of pesticide use. Therefore, this study is the first to determine the oxidative stress levels markers (GSH, GSSG, carbonyl groups, nitric oxide metabolites and lipid peroxides) as well as alteration of the mitochondrial membrane fluidity caused by occupational exposure to organophosphorus and carbamates in farmers of this region. This occupational risk can increase cellular oxidation, which explains the high prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer in Cienega settlers to be analyzed in future studies.MethodsComparative cross-sectional study was performed using two groups: one not exposed group (n = 93) and another one with occupational exposure (n = 113). The latter group was sub-divided into 4 groups based on duration of use/exposure to pesticides. Oxidative stress levels and membrane fluidity were assessed using spectrophotometric methods. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software ver. 19.0 for windows.ResultsThe most commonly used pesticides were organophosphorus, carbamates, herbicide-type glyphosate and paraquat, with an average occupational exposure time of 35.3 years. There were statistically significant differences in markers of oxidative stress between exposed farmers and not exposed group (p = 0.000). However, in most cases, no significant differences were found in markers of oxidative stress among the 4 exposure sub-groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionIn the Cienega region, despite the indiscriminate use of organophosphorus and carbamates, there are no previous studies of levels oxidative stress. The results show increased levels of oxidative stress in occupationally exposed farmers, particularly membrane fluidity levels increased three times in contrast to not exposed group.

Pathways for advancing pesticide policies.

Numerous pesticide policies have been introduced to mitigate the risks of pesticide use, but most have not been successful in reaching usage reduction goals. Here, we name key challenges for the reduction of environmental and health risks from agricultural pesticide use and develop a framework for improving current policies. We demonstrate the need for policies to encompass all actors in the food value chain. By adopting a multi-disciplinary approach, we suggest ten key steps to achieve a reduction in pesticide risks. We highlight how new technologies and regulatory frameworks can be implemented and aligned with all actors in food value chains. Finally, we discuss major trade-offs and areas of tension with other agricultural policy goals and propose a holistic approach to advancing pesticide policies.

Risk perception and behavior in Egyptian adolescent pesticide applicators: an intervention study

BackgroundAdolescents are engaged in agricultural work, including pesticide application, around the world. Adolescent pesticide applicators are more likely to be exposed to pesticides than their adult counterparts because of their application practice and hygiene habits surrounding pesticide use. There is a need for low-cost interventions to reduce pesticide exposure. We evaluated a theoretically-based educational intervention to change perceptions about the risk of pesticide use and hygiene habits during and after pesticide application for adolescent and young adult pesticide applicators in Egypt.MethodsYoung adult and adolescent male pesticide applicators were given a one-hour educational intervention to inform them about the risk of pesticide use and how to reduce pesticide exposure. The median age of participants was 18 years old. Changes in perceived susceptibility and effectiveness were measured with a survey pre and post-intervention (n = 119) on the same day. The same survey (n = 95) was given 8-months post-intervention to identify sustained effects. Observational checklists of pesticide application practice were also completed during application seasons before and after the intervention.ResultsThere was an increase in the proportion of individuals who viewed pesticides as being a long-term health risk (74.7% pre-intervention to 97.9% post-intervention, McNemar test p < 0.001). This change remained significant when surveyed at the 8-month follow-up (90.5%, p < 0.001). There was also a sustained improvement regarding participants’ views of proper hygiene practice surrounding pesticide application. Applicators were observed wearing goggles, shoes, and masks more frequently post-intervention.ConclusionThis theoretically-based intervention is an example of a low-cost solution that can improve adolescents’ and young adults’ practices regarding pesticide application and personal hygiene practices during and after pesticide application. The intervention can be applied in other countries with similar safety culture surrounding pesticide application.