Estado del arte de los efectos de plaguicidas de uso agrícola para la salud y el ambiente en Colombia (2007-2019)

Abstract

A distinctive element of conventional agricultural practice is the considerable consumption of pesticides, in order to conserve production and mitigate losses in crops. The application of pesticides and the persistence of their residues in the environment, cause alterations in human health and ecosystems. According to the data published on the FAOSTAT website regarding the indicator of total consumption of pesticides used in the agricultural sector, Colombia is the third South American country with a high use of pesticides (50,285 t) in agriculture. The present study aims to recognize the scientific production around the effects of pesticides for agricultural use, for health and the environment in Colombia during the period 2007 - 2019 through the construction of a state of the art. The bibliographic review allowed taking into account 49 research articles for the construction of the state of art. The highest percentage of publications was referred to the category of effects of pesticides on human health with 78%, the remaining 22%, was related to the category effects of pesticides on the environment. The national investigations were carried out in 18 of the 32 departments, being Córdoba where the highest number of studies was registered, attending all the categories. In relation to the effects of pesticides on human health, studies in farmers, women and children were reported. In agricultural workers, the studies reported a decrease in the values ​​of biomarkers such as cholinesterase enzymes, an increase in the concentration of aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine and uric acid, and the development of subclinical hypothyroidism. Different studies report pesticide residues in food, cow's milk, tomato, passion fruit, gulupa, passion fruit, strawberry and potato; which suggests a potential long-term risk to human health, due to the local and regional consumption of these foods. Regarding the effects of pesticides on the environment, studies were identified in aquatic ecosystems, sediments, soils and wildlife. In aquatic ecosystems, carbamate, organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticides were determined. One study revealed genotoxic contaminants, by means of a bioindicator fish species (B. henni). In sediments, organochlorines were quantified. Regarding pesticide residues in soil, the studies registered carbamate, organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides. With reference to pesticide residues in wildlife, concentrations of organochlorine pesticides were found in two fish species, bocachico (Prochilodus magdalenae) and moncholo (Hoplias malabaricus). Likewise, morphological and genotoxic effects associated with an organochlorine and its metabolites in amphibians of the species Rhinella marina.