Más-formações congênitas, puberdade precoce e agrotóxicos: uma herança maldita do agronegócio para a Chapada do Apodi (CE)

Abstract

In the Chapada do Apodi (CE), the agricultural model based on agribusiness has been expanding through the implantation of large companies of irrigated fruticulture. This productive model uses a huge volume of agrochemicals, which are responsible for triggering effects on the health of exposed people. In the last years, residents and social movements of the community of Tomé, located in the Chapada do Apodi (CE), have been denunciating the increasing in the occurrence of congenital malformations and early puberty in the children of the region. Furthermore, researches carried out by Núcleo Tramas and other academic groups have been evidencing the relationship between the exposure to agrochemicals in the region and the triggering of chronic effects on human health. General objective: to investigate the relationship between the cases of congenital malformations and early puberty, occurred in the community of Tomé (Chapada do Apodi / CE), and the environmental and occupational exposures to agrochemicals in this locality. Methodology: Multiple case study with 8 families from the community (5 cases of congenital malformations and 3 cases of early puberty), through the following approaches: clinical histories, physical and complementary examinations of the children; characterization of environmental and occupational exposures of children and their parents to agrochemicals; toxicological tests for the analysis of active ingredients in blood (organochlorines) and urine (metabolites of pyrethroids) of children and their parents; analysis of the active ingredients of agrochemicals in the water for human consumption in the households of the investigated families, added up with a review of the scientific literature of the active ingredients of registered agrochemicals in the various stages of the study and the diseases investigated. Results: the study showed that there is an intense environmental exposure of children and their families to agrochemicals (current and previous). All the male parents of the children have a history of occupational exposure relevant to the agrochemicals. The organochlorine analyzes showed that, of the 19 samples collected, in 11 of them the organochlorine concentrations were detected. Analyzes of metabolites of pyrethroids showed that, of the 17 samples collected, in 7 of them, the metabolites of pyrethroids were detected. Among the 7 households in which water samples were collected, in 6 of them were detected the presence of at least 1 active ingredient of agrochemical. When a cross-reference between the active ingredients of agrochemicals registered in the various stages of the study with the review of the literature on these compounds, it was verified that there is scientific evidence that corroborates the associations between these active ingredients of agrochemicals and the aggravations investigated. Final considerations: It can be affirmed that there are strong evidences that leads us to conclude that the cases of congenital malformations and early puberty in the community of Tomé are related to the intense exposure of these children and their families to agrochemicals in the region. The public policies need to recognize the consequences of these conditions for the Unified Health System and implement measures to assist the affected families and avoid the appearing of new cases. In other spheres, it is urgent that the mechanisms of vulnerability of the communities be reversed, being, for this, essential to disassemble the current model of hegemonic development and to build other paths of full life on planet Earth.