Exposição aos agrotóxicos e frequência de micronúcleos em células da mucosa bucal de lactantes

Abstract

The use of pesticides in agriculture is increasingly intense and can have serious consequences on human health in the short, medium and long term, depending on the substance used and the exposure time. Farmers are the most susceptible group, as they have direct contact with these compounds. The general population can also be affected by the consumption of water and food with pesticide residues or through contact with contaminated environmental matrices. Studies show residues of pesticides in breast milk, this brings an alert about the negative impact on both the health of the mother and the child who is being breastfed. In this sense, the objective of this study was to verify the frequency of micronuclei and abnormalities in cells of the oral mucosa of lactating mothers in the municipalities of Missões, RS. Study with a quantitative approach, cross-sectional design, comparative descriptive and explanatory scope. The study population consisted of 24 mothers who are breastfeeding, living in rural and urban areas, in the municipalities of Mato Queimado and Caibaté. Three slides were collected from the cheek region of the mouth with the aid of a wooden spatula, then the analysis was carried out with the aid of an Optical Microscope at 400x magnification, performing the count of 3,000 cells per mother. As a result, there was no occurrence of MN above the number considered normal and there was no significant difference in the frequency of MN between mothers living in rural and urban areas. As for cellular abnormalities, a higher frequency was observed in mothers from urban areas compared to mothers from rural areas, but without significant difference. However, it should be noted that the MN test is an exposure marker of acute intoxication, detecting a recent exposure. Thus, systematic monitoring of this population is suggested, contributing to the promotion of the health of the population exposed to pesticides and specifically for child health.