The use of pesticides and the signs of poisoning in farmers of southern Brazil

Abstract

Since 2008, Brazil has been leading the world ranking of the largest consumer of pesticides in the world. This increasing the risk of poisoning and environmental contamination. This paper's objective is to analyze the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the manifestation of signs and symptoms of acute and chronic intoxication in agricultural workers in southern Brazil. This is a field research carried out through semi-structured interviews with 142 family farmers who produce garlic and grapes. The results show that only 17.60% of farmers use all eight recommended PPE. Most participants (90.84%) claim to wear boots, gloves (75.35%) and pants (73.94%). Regarding acute symptoms, 31.69% reported headaches after the pesticide application, 28.16% eye irritation, and 23.94% weakness/fatigue/tiredness. Of the total, 38.02% reported depression, and 35.91% had systemic arterial hypertension. The data set indicates that farmers are exposed to risks due to exposure to pesticides and the inappropriate use of PPE. It is noticed that a high number of workers presented acute symptoms after the use of pesticides. Therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness among farmers about the risks of human and environmental exposure to these products.