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Alterações bioquímicas e toxicológicas de agricultores familiares da região do Alto Jacuí, Rio Grande do Sul

2015; Editora da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (EDIPUCRS); Volume: 25; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.15448/1980-6108.2015.3.20999

1980-6108

Natacha Cossettin Mori, Roberta Cattaneo Horn, Caroline Oliveira, Paola Ariane Pereira Leal, Diego Pascoal Golle, Jana Koefender, Josiane Bortolotto, Helena Matielo Dias,

Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity

Aims: To evaluate possible changes in biochemical and toxicological markers in rural workers exposed to pesticides in the Alto Jacui region, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Methods: The study included 106 farmworkers exposed to pesticides for over five years and 103 healthy individuals, not exposed to pesticides, selected from the community. The farmworkers were submitted to liver and kidney function tests and to butyrylcholinesterase measurements. The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls (PCs), and reduced glutathione (GSH) were also determined, and the results of these oxidative stress parameters were compared with the group of pesticide-exposed farmworkers and the control group. Results: The evaluated hepatic and renal parameters were within the reference values whereas butyrylcholinesterase activity was found to be low. The plasma levels of oxidative stress parameters in exposed farmworkers were higher than in the control group: TBARS 9.51 vs. 6.179 nmol MDA/mL (p=0.0422); PCs 11.78 vs. 9.23 nmol carbonyl/mg protein (p.0.0337); GSH 0.7180 vs. 0.3649 µmol GSH/mL (p<0.0001). Personal protective equipment was worn by 51.62% of the farmworkers, but 8.06% wore it occasionally, and 40.32% did not wear any protective clothing or gear. Conclusions: Rural workers presented changes that indicate oxidative stress, thus highlighting the importance of monitoring their health conditions, as well as encouraging the use of personal protective equipment.