Evaluation of genotoxic effects in workers and residents of rural areas exposed to pesticides in Brazil

• Published in: Mutation research. Genetic toxicology and environmental mutagenesis 2024-08, Vol.898, p.503795, Article 503795
• Main Authors: Amazonas, Juliana Costa, Poça, Katia Soares da, da Silva, Paula Vieira Baptista, Schilithz, Arthur Orlando Correa, Siqueira, Janas Darc dos Santos Barros, de Aguiar, Gilberto Santos, Alves, Sergio Rabello, Otero, Ubirani Barros, Sarpa, Marcia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Adult; Brazil; Butyrylcholinesterase - genetics; Cholinesterase; Comet Assay; DNA Damage - drug effects; Farmers; Female; Genotoxicity; Humans; Male; Micronucleus Tests; Middle Aged; Occupational exposure; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Pesticides; Pesticides - toxicity; Rural Population; Urban Population
• ISSN: 1383-5718; 1879-3592; 1879-3592
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2024.503795

Brazil is one of the world’s largest consumers of pesticides. This intense use impacts the environment and exposes a wide range of individuals to pesticides, including rural workers who are occupationally exposed and rural residents who are environmentally exposed. We aimed to evaluate the effects of occupational exposure to pesticides on the health of rural workers and rural residents. We conducted an epidemiological study with 104 farmers and 23 rural residents of Casimiro de Abreu (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). A comparison group (urban residents) comprised 103 residents of the urban area of the same city. We determined the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) using a modified version of Ellman’s method to evaluate exposure. In addition, we performed genotoxic and mutagenic analyses with the comet assay and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay. There was a reduction in cholinesterase activity, mainly BChE, in rural workers and rural residents compared with urban residents (p = 0.002). There was an increase in genotoxic effects in rural workers compared with urban residents (comet assay, p < 0.001; CBMN assay, p < 0.001). In addition, there was a greater chance of genotoxic changes in rural workers exposed to pesticides based on the comet assay (odds ratio [OR] 7.6, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 6.6–15.9) and the CBMN assay (OR 22.7, 95 % CI 10.3–49.9). We found that individuals occupationally exposed to pesticides are more likely to have genotoxic effects. These findings are useful for the development of programs to monitor populations exposed to genotoxic substances and allow the development of strategies for the prevention, control, and surveillance of effects that result from occupational and environmental exposures to pesticides. •Occupational exposure to pesticide increase genotoxic effects in rural workers.•Rural residents of farmer area had more chance to have cancer than urban residents.•Decrease at cholinesterase enzymes show organophosphate exposure.