Intoxication symptoms and health conditions of family farmers associated with the use of pesticides: a study conducted in Zona da Mata Mineira, Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v11i8.30923Keywords:
Agrochemicals; Food production; Occupational health; Human contamination; Cholinesterase.Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the association between the use of pesticides, symptoms of intoxication and health conditions of family farmers in the Mata Mineira area, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study with 48 family farmers from a municipality in the Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to obtain demographic, socioeconomic information and characterization of the use of pesticides. Blood samples were collected from farmers for biochemical tests and evaluation of markers of exposure to pesticides. It was found that 75% of farmers used pesticides in food production, most of these products being extremely toxic. These farmers showed changes in plasma cholinesterase, erythrocyte cholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, markers of exposure to pesticides. There was an association between spraying for more than 4 hours/day and reporting of acute symptoms of intoxication, as well as between the use of pesticides and the presence of chronic non-communicable diseases. Multivariate analysis indicated that non-compliance with the period of re-entry into crops after the use of pesticides remained as an explanatory variable for lung disease. We infer that acute symptoms, as well as chronic non-communicable diseases reported by family farmers, may be associated with the use of pesticides.
References
Abreu, P. H. B. & Alonzo, H. G. A. (2016). Family farmer and (un)safe use of pesticides in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional 41 (6), 1-12.
Ahmadi, A. R. & Mansourian, A. R. (2007). Effects of occupational exposure in pesticide plant on workers serum and erythrocyte cholinesterase activity. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health 20 (4), 381-385.
Akter, M. et al (2018). Vegetable farmers’ behaviour and knowledge related to pesticide use and related health problems: A case study from Bangladesh. Journal of Cleaner Production 200: 122-133.
Almeida, C.G. & Martins, L. H. B. (2008). Liver enzymes as biomarkers and acetyl cholinesterase the effect of pesticides used in cultivation of Allium sativum. Revista Biociências 14 (2), 117-126.
Andrade-Rivas, F. & Rothe, H. A. (2015). Chemical exposure reduction: Factors impacting on south African herbicide sprayers' personal protective equipment compliance and high risk work practices. Environmental Research 142, 34-45.
Anvisa - Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária. Classificação toxicológica e dados de rotulagem de acordo com a toxicidade aguda. (2019). http://portal.anvisa.gov.br/documents/10181/2858730/RDC_296_2019_.pdf/ca693bd5-e688-48e0-b072-0ece1dfca268.
Araújo, A. J et al (2007). Multiple exposure to pesticides and impacts on health: a cross-section study of 102 rural workers, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva 12 (1), 115-130.
Boccolini, P. M. M. et al (2014). Stomach cancer mortality among agricultural workers: results from a death certificate-based case-control study. Cadernos de Saúde Coletiva 22 (1), 86-92.
Bombardi, L. M. (2017). Geography of pesticide use in Brazil and restrictions with the European Union. FFLCH - USP.
Brazil. Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Atenção à Saúde. Departamento de Ações Programáticas Estratégicas – Área Técnica de Saúde do Trabalhador. (2006). Protocolo de Atenção à Saúde dos Trabalhadores Expostos a agrotóxicos. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 2006. http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/protocolo_atencao_saude_trab_exp_agrotoxicos.pdf.
Buralli, R. J. et al (2018). Respiratory condition of family farmers exposed to pesticides in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15 (6), 1-14.
Câmara, S. A. V. et al (2012). Exposure to agrochemicals: determination of reference values for plasma and erythrocyte cholinesterase. Brasília Médica 49 (3), 163-169, 2012.
Carneiro, F. F. et al (2015). Dossiê ABRASCO: um alerta sobre os impactos dos agrotóxicos na saúde. Búrigo.
Dainese, M. et al (2019). A global synthesis reveals biodiversity-mediated benefits for crop production. Science Advances 5 (10), 1-13.
Dang, H. et al (2017). Risk factors for noncommunicable diseases in Vietnam: a focus on pesticides. Frontiers in Environmental Science 5 (58), 1-9.
D’annolfo, R. et al (2017). A review of social and economic performance of agroecology. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 15 (6), 632-644.
Dhananjayan, V. et al (2012). Assessment of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities in blood plasma of agriculture workers. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 16 (3), 127-130.
Figueiredo, G. M.; Trape, A. Z. & Alonzo, H. A. (2011). Multiple pesticide exposure and probable long-term health effects: transversal study in a sample of 370 rural workers of Campinas (SP - Brazil). Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Trabalho 9 (1), 1-9.
Fiocruz - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. (2013). Em nota conjunta, Fiocruz, Inca e Abrasco alertam para o risco do uso de agrotóxicos. https://portal.fiocruz.br/noticia/em-nota-conjunta-fiocruz-inca-e-abrasco-alertam-para-o-risco-do-uso-de-agrotoxicos.
Godfray, H. C. J. et al (2010). Food security: the challenge of feeding 9 billion people. Science 327 (5967), 812–818.
Haggblade, S. et al (2017). The herbicide revolution in developing countries: Patterns, causes, and implications. The European Journal of Development Research 29 (3), 533-559.
Jardim, I. C. S. F. & Andrade, J. A. (2009). Residues of pesticides in food: a global environmental preoccupation - Focussing on apples. Química Nova 32 (4), 996-1012.
Jayasumana, C. et al (2015). Drinking well water and occupational exposure to Herbicides is associated with chronic kidney disease, in Padavi-Sripura, Sri Lanka. Environmental Health 14 (6), 1-10.
Kim, K. H.; Kabir, E. & Jahan S. A. (2017). Exposure to pesticides and the associated human health effects. Science of the Total Environment 575, 525-535.
Linares, C. E. B. (2005). Acethylcholinesterase and Butyrilcholinesterase plasmatic levels in farmers from Frederico Westphalen – RS. Saúde 31 (1), 47-51.
Lini, R. S. et al (2021). Exposição ocupacional aos agrotóxicos da classe dos fungicidas em uma população de viticultores. Research, Society and Development, 10 (3), 1-12.
Lopes, S. O. (2017). Nutrition and health actions impact on the incentive to production for self-consumption in the food and nutritional (in)security situation: increasing the quality of life of family farmers in the Viçosa-MG. MSc. Diss. Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa.
MAcFarlane, E. et al (2013). Dermal exposure associated with occupational end use of pesticides and the role of protective measures. Safety and Health at Work 4 (3), 136-141.
Marcelino, A. F.; Wachtel, C. C. & Ghisi, N. C. (2019). Are Our Farm Workers in Danger? Genetic Damage in Farmers Exposed to Pesticides. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16 (3), 358.
Mello, C. M. & Silva, L. F. (2013). Factors associated with pesticide poisoning: cross-sectional study among coffee plantation workers in southern Minas Gerais. Epidemiologia & Serviços de Saúde 22 (4), 609-620.
Mengistie, B. T.; Mol, A. P. J. & Oosterveer, P. (2017). Pesticide use practices among smallholder vegetable farmers in Ethiopian Central Rift Valley. Environment, Development and Sustainability 19 (1), 301–324.
Mukami, Y. et al (2017). Chronic pesticide poisoning in the tobacco farming. Saúde em Debate 41 (113), 563-576.
Nerilo, S. B. et al (2014). Pesticide use and cholinesterase inhibition in small-scale agricultural workers in southern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 50 (4), 783-791.
Nogueira, F. A. M.; Szwarcwald, C. L & Damacena. G. N. (2020). Exposição a agrotóxicos e agravos à saúde em trabalhadores agrícolas: o que revela a literatura? Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional, 45 (36), 1-23.
Oliveira-Silva, J. J.; Meyer, A. & Moreira, J. C .(2000). Cholinesterase activities determination in frozen blood samples: an improvement to the occupational monitoring in developing countries. Human and Environmental Toxicology 19 (1), 173-177.
Peres, F. et al (2005). Challenges in the study of human and environmental contamination by pesticides. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva 10, 27-37.
Ramírez-Santana, M. et al (2014). Assessment of health care and economic costs due to episodes of acute pesticide intoxication in workers of rural areas of the Coquimbo region, Chile. Value in Health Regional 5, 35-39.
Ristow, L. P. et al. (2020). Fatores relacionados à saúde ocupacional de agricultores expostos a agrotóxicos. Saúde & Sociedade, 29 (2), 1-11.
Sapbamrer, R. & Thammachai, A. (2020). Factors affecting use of personal protective equipment and pesticide safety practices: A systematic review. Environmental Research 185, 1-23.
Senar - Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Rural. (2015). Gestão de Riscos em Saúde e Segurança no Trabalho Rural. Prevenção de Acidentes com Agrotóxicos - NR31.8. http://ead.senar.org.br/lms/webroot/uploads/senar/conteudos/149/anexos/RIS2_Modulo05.pdf.
Silva, J. M. et al (2005). Pesticides and work: a dangerous combination for the Brazilian agricultural worker’s health. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva 10 (4), 891-903.
Souza, A. et al (2011). Multiple pesticide exposure and probable long-term health effects: transversal study in a sample of 370 rural workers of Campinas (SP - Brazil). Ciência & Saúde Coletiva 16 (8), 3519-3528.
Tofolo, C. et al (2014). Contributing factors for farm workers’ exposure to pesticides in the west of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Acta Scientiarum Health Sciences 36 (2), 153-159.
Yap, S. M. S & Demayo, C. G. (2015). Health impacts of pesticide use by rice farmers in themunicipality of Molave, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. Advances Environmental Biology 9 (27), 134-142.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Elizangela da Silva Miguel; Davi Lopes do Carmo; Silvia Oliveira Lopes; Ricardo Henrique Silva Santos; Sylvia do Carmo Castro Franceschini; Luiza Carla Vidigal Castro; Glauce Dias da Costa; Silvia Eloiza Priore
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
