Biomarcadores de exposição a agrotóxicos em trabalhadores rurais

Abstract

The risks to human health caused by exposure to pesticides are reported in the scientific literature. On the other hand, the need to increase food production without the use of new areas brought with it modernized cultivation practices, including pesticides. The objective of this study was to evaluate the damage caused by exposure to pesticides in the Northwest region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil, in farmers who constantly handle and apply these products to their plantations, using the Comet assay and the Micronucleus test. The evaluation of genetic damage in rural workers using the comet assay is a pioneering work in the missionary region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. To determine genetic damage, the comet assay technique in peripheral blood and the Micronucleus test technique (MN) with verification of nuclear abnormalities (NA) (binucleated cells and nuclear bud) in cells of the oral mucosa. Both are sensitive for detecting genotoxic and cytotoxic damage caused by exposure to factors or substances harmful to the human body. The results showed a higher frequency of MN in the occupationally exposed group. The other parameters, comet tail length, % tail DNA, olive tail moment and NA (binucleate cells and nuclear bud), did not show a significant difference between the groups. The high frequency of MN found in the oral mucosa of rural workers highlights chronic exposure, a good indication of genotoxicity in these workers. In this sense, biomonitoring studies are useful tools to monitor these adversely exposed populations and characterize the risks associated with exposure to pesticides.