Biomarkers of oxidative damage and its relationship with risk factors in a locality environmentally exposed to agrochemicals

ODETTI, LUCÍA; DECHIARA, PRISCILLA; POLETTA, GISELA L.; MARINO, DAMIÁN; SIMONIELLO, MA. FERNANDA

Buenos Aires

Congreso; SETAC Latin America 11th Biennial Meeting; 2015

Santa Fe province, located in the center of Argentina, has been historically one of the main agricultural centers. The production of the main crops (soybean, sunflower, corn, wheat and sorghum) significantly increased in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative damage generated by environmental exposure to agrochemical mixtures in people living in Santo Domingo, Santa Fe, Argentina and to compare them with healthy non-exposed people from Santa Fe city. The study involved 72 subjects, 44 from Santo Domingo (rural area) and 28 healthy donors from Santa Fe city (urban area). Samples were taken at two different moments, in September (low pesticide spraying) and irmarch (post-period of high spray). The activity of Catalase (CAT), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) were analyzed. In addition, the results were analyzed in relation to the variables obtained from interviews (confounding factors and health events). The analysis of the surveys showed that mostly of the population live within 500 meters from the crops. Despite being a community closely linked with agricultural activities, they showed little knowledge about which pesticides are applied in the field area, which are the protective measures to be used by workers and the kind of problems that long-term exposure to pesticides can trigger. The results of oxidative biomarkers showed significant differences in TBARS and SOD between the group of people environmentally exposed to pesticides and the control group. A significant linear regression between TBARS with CAT and SOD was found. Data obtained with biomarkers were related to the agricultural labor activity as a confounding factor, showing to be significant for SOD. In turn, taking into account the period of application of pesticides, significant differences were found in the three biomarkers. The environmental exposure to pesticides was confirmed by measurements of atrazine residues in rainwater samples. This is a pioneer study in Santa Fe province and allowed to link imbalances in oxidative state with factors that could affect health. It would therefore be important to continue increasing the sample number, in this and other regional towns with similar characteristics. As well, addressing a perspective of environmental education that is currently lacking f in the population.