Diagnostic evaluation of the presence of residues of glyphosate-AMPA and 2.4D pesticides in urine samples from people living in a rural Brazilian community.

Pesticide contamination in rural communities is a known problem worldwide. In this study, we investigated the levels of pesticide residues in urine samples from residents of a rural community located in the municipality of Francisco Beltrao-Parana, Brazil. According to the residents report obtained through a structured interview, the main form of exposure has been due to the drift of pesticides resulting from the spraying carried out on crops neighboring the community, with one crop existing on the left edge and another on the right edge of the site. The investigation was based on a demand from residents concerned about the frequent occurrence of symptoms after spraying on neighboring crops, such as nausea, headaches, and dizziness. Thus, samples were collected immediately after the occurrence of spraying in the crop surrounding the site. In the collected samples (n=35, 1 sample per family) laboratory analyzes were performed to identify possible pesticide residues. To identify possible contaminating pesticides in the samples, multi-residue analysis was performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). To identify 2.4D residues, an active widely used in the region and not detectable by the technique used for other pesticides, the analyzes were performed using the enzyme immunoassay technique. The results indicate that all urine samples collected showed the presence of 2.4D residues and that 90% of them presented the presence of glyphosate-AMPA residues, without the detection of the other investigated residues. The analysis of data obtained from interviews with residents shows an association between living in the place for longer and having cases of abortion (p<0.05, R=0.43) or feeling unwell after the application of the poison by the neighboring crop (p<0.05, R=0.47). In addition, residents who reported being poisoned with poison also reported having cancer (p<0.05, R=0.42). Assuming that it is unacceptable that urine samples have pesticide residues, it is concluded that the residents of this community are widely contaminated by pesticides potentially coming from the spraying of the neighboring crop, especially by pesticides that have the active ingredients in their formulas. 2,4D and glyphosate-AMPA and that may be impacting the health of these people in the long term.