Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas (IRET)

URI permanente para esta comunidadhttp://10.0.96.45:4000/handle/11056/14395

Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas (IRET-UNA) es un centro de investigación con proyección nacional, regional e internacional, comprometido con el desarrollo sostenible, la protección y conservación de los ecosistemas naturales, la calidad de vida de los trabajadores y de la sociedad afectados por las sustancias tóxicas y otras actividades humanas.

Los conocimientos y datos generados por el Instituto son utilizados por entidades gubernamentales y no gubernamentales como fuente primaria de información en temas de exposición a las sustancias tóxicas y sus efectos en el ambiente y en la salud humana.

Contáctenos:

Página web: www.iret.una.ac.cr

Correo: iret@una.ac.cr

Teléfono: (506) 2277-3584 / (506) 2277-3587

Programas adscritos a IRET-UNA

El Programa Infantes y Salud Ambiental (ISA) es un programa de investigación-extensión realizado en la región Huetar Atlántica, Costa Rica, que utiliza un enfoque eco-sistémico en salud humana (EcoSalud). Estudiamos la exposición ambiental a plaguicidas y manganeso y sus efectos sobre la salud de niño(a)s y sus madres. Además, estudiamos cuáles factores explican las exposiciones a plaguicidas, y posibles alternativas para su uso. Promovemos acciones colaborativas para reducir el contacto con plaguicidas y mitigar sus posibles efectos.

El Programa ISA tiene 3 áreas temáticas: 1) Contexto socio- económico, cultural y percepción de riesgos, 2) Evaluación de exposición y efectos en el crecimiento y desarrollo de infantes y 3) Alternativas agro-ecológicas.

Coordinadora: Ph.D. Berna van Wendel de Joode, correo electrónico: berendina.vanwendel.dejoode@una.cr

Contacto:

Página web: www.isa.una.ac.cr

Correo: programaisa@una.ac.cr

Teléfono: (506) 2562-3678 / (506) 2562-3671

El Programa Salud, Trabajo y Ambiente (SALTRA) se proyecta como un programa estratégico en la integración de principios de desarrollo sostenible en las políticas de salud ocupacional y ambiental a nivel local, nacional y regional desde la gestión del conocimiento: docencia, investigación extensión y traducción política. Se trabaja en Centroamérica para consolidar y extender una estructura regional de centros universitarios en salud ocupacional y ambiental (SOA) que colaboren entre sí y con grupos gubernamentales y no gubernamentales, para conjuntamente construir capacidades locales, nacionales y regionales que favorecen la incorporación de principios de desarrollo sostenible en las políticas de salud ocupacional y ambiental.

Coordinadora regional: Ph. D. Jennifer Crowe, correo electrónico: jennifer.crowe@una.cr

Contacto:

Página web: www.saltra.una.ac.cr

Correo: saltraregional@una.cr

Teléfono: (506) 2263 6375

Examinar

Mostrando 1 - 20 de 25

9th Latin American Pesticide Residue Workshop (LAPRW 2023) Food and Enviroment, May 18-20, 2021
(Thermo Fisher Scientific, 2021) Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Panamá)
Thermo Fisher Scientific patrocina el 9º Latin American Pesticide Residue Workshop (LAPRW), que se realizará del 21 al 24 de mayo de 2023 en el Sheraton Grand Hotel Panamá. Visítenos en el stand #P2 y descubra nuestras soluciones para el análisis de pesticidas, enfocadas en aumentar la productividad y la confiabilidad de los resultados. El evento abordará temas como métodos analíticos, control de calidad, regulación y análisis de riesgos.
A pilot field evaluation on heat stress in sugarcane workers in Costa Rica: What to do next?
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2009) Van Wendel de Joode, Berendina; Wesseling Hoogervors, Catharina; Crowe, Jennifer
Climate change is producing major impacts including increasing temperatures in tropical countries, like Costa Rica, where the sugarcane industry employs thousands of workers who are exposed to extreme heat. Objectives: This article outlines a pilot qualitative evaluation of working conditions and heat in the sugarcane industry. Design: A literature review, direct observations and exploratory interviews with workers were conducted to reach a preliminary understanding of the dimensions of heat-related health issues in the sugarcane industry, as a basis for the design of future studies. Results: The industry employs temporary workers from Nicaragua and Costa Rica as well as year-round employees. Temporary employees work 12-hour shifts during the harvest and processing ('zafra') season. In many cases, sugarcane field workers are required to carry their own water and often have no access to shade. Sugar mill workers are exposed to different levels of heat stress depending upon their job tasks, with the most intense heat and workload experienced by the oven ('caldera') cleaners. Conclusions: Research is needed to achieve better understanding of the multiple factors driving and interacting with heat exposures in the sugarcane industry in order to improve the health and safety of workers while maintaining worker productivity. © 2009 Jennifer Crowe et al.
Acute health effects of organophosphorus pesticides on Tanzanian small-scale coffee growers
(Nature Publishing Group, 2001-07-01) Ngowi, Aiwerasia; Maeda, David; Partanen, Timo; Sanga, Michael
A cute health effects of organophosphorus (PP) pesticides on coffee farmworkers in 1991-1992 in Tanzania are reported to provide a basis for concern over farmworkers being overexposed during application. Workers exposed to OP pesticides (N = 133) were drawn from a population of about 240,000 coffee farmers. They were interviewed on symptoms and personal protection, and their erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) activity was determined during both spraying and nonspraying period. AChE activities during spraying and nonspraying period were comparable (mean 32.0, SD 7.8 vs. 33.0, SD 8.7 U/g HgB, P = 0.26). The prevalence of cough, headache, abdominal pain, excessive sweating, nausea, excessive salivation, diarrhea, and vomiting did not differ significantly between spraying and nonspraying periods. There was no suggestion of decreased AChE in exposed subjects who complained of OP-related symptoms compared to symptomless exposed subjects. Use of gloves, long boots, head cover, face cover, and coverall was not significantly associated with AChE activity. No marked AChE depression was found during spraying season, which may explain the lack of association between symptoms and ACHE. The fact that only moderately toxic OP pesticides were used may indicate that toxicity was not sufficiently high to cause depression. Experience, however, suggests that occupational poisoning remains a potential serious danger in coffee cultivation in Tanzania.
Acute, chronic and biochemical effects of chlorothalonil on Agalychnis callidryas, Isthmohyla pseudopuma and Smilisca baudinii tadpoles
(Springer, 2016-08-05) Méndez, Michael; Obando, Priscilla; Pinnock Branford, Margaret Verónica; Ruepert, Clemens; Castillo, Luisa E.; Mena, Freylan; Alvarado, Gilbert
Declines of amphibian populations have been a worldwide issue of concern for the scientific community during the last several decades. Efforts are being carried out to elucidate factors related to this phenomenon. Among these factors, pathogens, climate change, and environmental pollution have been suggested as possible causes. Regarding environmental pollutants, some pesticides are persistent in the environment and capable of being transported long distances from their release point. In Costa Rica, some pesticides have been detected in protected areas, at locations where amphibian populations have declined. Information about toxicity of pesticides used in Costa Rican agriculture to amphibians is still scarce, particularly for native species. Toxicity tests with chlorothalonil, a fungicide intensively used in Costa Rica, were carried out exposing tadpoles of three Costa Rican native species: Agalychnis callidryas, Isthmohyla pseudopuma, and Smilisca baudinii in order to evaluate acute and chronic toxicity as well as the biomarkers cholinesterase activity (ChE), glutathione-S transferase activity (GST), and lipid peroxidation (LPO). 96-h LC50: 26.6 (18.9–35.8) μg/L to A. callidryas, 25.5 (21.3–29.7) μg/L to I pseudopuma and 32.3 (26.3–39.7) μg/L to S. baudinii were determined for chlorothalonil. These three species of anurans are among the most sensitive to chlorothalonil according to the literature. Besides, GST was induced in S. baudinii after exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of chlorothalonil while evisceration occurred in S. baudinii and A. callidryas tadpoles exposed to lethal concentrations of the fungicide. Chronic exposure to sub-lethal concentrations accelerated development in S. baudinii and caused lesions in tail of S. baudinii and I. pseudopuma tadpoles. Our results demonstrate that chlorothalonil is highly toxic to native amphibian species and that low concentrations can cause biochemical responses related to phase II of biotransformation and effects on development.
Agricoh: A consortium of agricultural cohorts
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute(MDPI), Switzerland., 2011-04-29) Leon, Maria; Beane Freeman, Laura; Douwes, Jeroen; Hoppin, Jane; Kromhout, Hans; Lebailly, Pierre; Christian Nordby, Karl; Schenker, Marc; Schüz, Joachim; Waring, Stephen; Alavanja, Michael; Annesi Maesano, Isabella; Baldi, Isabelle; Aqiel Dalvie, Mohamed; Ferro, Giles; Fervers, Beatris; Langseth, Hilde; London, Leslie; Lynch, Charles; McLaughlin, John; Merchant, James; Pahwa, Punam; Sigsgaard, Torben; Stayner, Leslie; Wesseling, Catharina; Keun-Young, Yoo; Zahm, Sheila; Straif, Kurt; Blair, Aaron
AGRICOH is a recently formed consortium of agricultural cohort studies involving 22 cohorts from nine countries in five continents: South Africa (1), Canada (3), Costa Rica (2), USA (6), Republic of Korea (1), New Zealand (2), Denmark (1), France (3) and Norway (3). The aim of AGRICOH, initiated by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is to promote and sustain collaboration and pooling of data to investigate the association between a wide range of agricultural exposures and a wide range of health outcomes, with a particular focus on associations that cannot easily be addressed in individual studies because of rare exposures (e.g., use of infrequently applied chemicals) or relatively rare outcomes (e.g., certain types of cancer, neurologic and auto-immune diseases). To facilitate future projects the need for data harmonization of selected variables is required and is underway. Altogether, AGRICOH provides excellent opportunities for studying cancer, respiratory, neurologic, and auto-immune diseases as well as reproductive and allergic disorders, injuries and overall mortality in association with a wide array of exposures, prominent among these the application of pesticides. © 2011 by the authors.
Agriculture without paraquat is feasible without loss of productivity lessons learned from phasing out a highly hazardous herbicide
(Springer Nature Link, 2023-01-09) Ramírez-Muñoz, Fernando; Sánchez U., Jorge.; Stuart, Alexander M; Merfield, Charles N; Horgan, Finbarr G; Willis, Sheila; Watts, Meriel A.; Sánchez U., Jorge ; Utyasheva, Leah; Eddleston, Michael ; Davis, Mark L; Neumeister, Lars ; Sanou, Manoé R.; Williamson, Stephanie
A small proportion of the thousands of pesticides on the market today are associated with a disproportionately high incidence of severe acute pesticide poisoning and suicide. Paraquat stands out as one of the most lethal pesticides in common use, frequently involved in fatal incidents due to suicides or accidental exposure. Even though paraquat has been banned in over 67 countries, it is still widely used in many others, particularly in Asia and Latin America. Based on a literature review and consultations, this paper identifes options for replacing paraquat and distils practical lessons from numerous successes around the world. Our aim is to support regulators, policymakers, agronomists and the supply chain sector with practical information related to phasing out paraquat. Production data consistently failed to show any negative efects of banning paraquat on agricultural productivity. A wide range of alternative approaches to weed management and crop defoliation are available, many of which do not rely on herbicides. Over 1.25 million farmers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) successfully produce a range of crops for private voluntary standards (PVS) in food and fber supply chains which prohibit paraquat use. We conclude from the fndings of this study that eliminating paraquat will save lives without reducing agri- cultural productivity. Less hazardous and more sustainable alternatives exist. To enhance successful adoption and uptake of these methods on a wide scale, farmers require training and support within an enabling policy environment.
Agua, sombra, descanso y eficiencia : valoración cualitativa del programa We
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2020) Rojas Garbanzo, Marianela; Aragon, Aurora; Soto, Arlen
Antecedentes: Aunque no se ha establecido claramente, la enfermedad renal crónica de etiología desconocida (ERCd) ha estado relacionada a exposición a altas temperaturas, trabajo extenuante y mala hidratación, que contribuyen a la disminución de la tasa de filtración glomerular y al riesgo de episodios repetidos de lesión renal aguda (IRA). En un ingenio salvadoreño se ejecutó un programa de intervención basado en el aseguramiento de “Agua, Descanso, Sombra y Eficiencia” (WRS-E). Objetivo: Explorar la percepción de los trabajadores sobre la efectividad de cada componente del programa WRS-E, así como la sostenibilidad de la intervención desde la perspectiva de los trabajadores y otros actores clave. Método: Se realizó un estudio cualitativo con un diseño emergente mediante análisis temático. Cada componente de WRS-E se evaluó con análisis iterativo y triangulación de investigadores. El estudio se llevó a cabo en dos años consecutivos, previo a la finalización de cada zafra. Resultados: La mayoría de los entrevistados estuvo de acuerdo en que WRS-E redujo efectivamente el riesgo de deshidratación, aunque los componentes fueron adoptados en un gradiente de mayor a menor desde Zona 1 a Zona 3. En los casos donde las indicaciones de la implementación fueron mejor adoptadas (Zona 1), los trabajadores experimentaron una mejor salud y un mejor ánimo para trabajar. En la Zona 3, donde el riesgo de estrés térmico fue muy alto, hubo varias dificultades para la implementación. La aceptación y adherencia al programa se vieron obstaculizadas en el año 2 por la falta de claridad sobre la necesidad de mantener un cumplimiento estricto de los componentes WRS-E, particularmente en esa zona. Se destacan diferencias históricas, culturales y de condiciones de trabajo, como el trabajo a destajo, que impone un ritmo que interfiere con las pausas para descanso e ingesta de líquidos. También hubo falta de claridad y abastecimiento oportuno para la ingesta diaria de electrolitos. A esto se sumaron los cambios en la calidad de las herramientas y materiales disponibles en el año 2, diferentes a los del año 1. A pesar de lo anterior, hubo un gradiente de satisfacción con la intervención, y de manera unánime se concluyó que, a pesar de las diferencias, vale la pena sostener el programa. Conclusión: Un programa como éste debe ser planificado y ejecutado no solo con un fuerte compromiso de la gerencia, sino también de los mandos medios, quienes deben estar comprometidos con el cambio. Esto debe reflejarse en una dirección clara, apego estricto a los componentes del programa, implementación oportuna, retroalimentación adecuada, apropiación de los objetivos y una estrecha cooperación y flexibilidad de la gerencia e investigadores, para que en conjunto se puedan resolver los cambios inesperados.
Alternativas al herbicida glifosato
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2022-06-08) Ramírez-Muñoz, Fernando
El uso de herbicidas ha eliminado plantas útiles. Las malezas, aunque a veces son competencia, también aportan fertilidad, protegen el suelo y favorecen la biodiversidad. Su manejo debe ser integral, sin priorizar un solo método, especialmente en climas tropicales donde la biomasa es clave para la fertilidad.
Cambios en la superficie sembrada de palma aceitera en el cantón de Osa, Puntarenas. Período 2014-2018
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2020-06-29) Salas González, Denis Mauricio
El cultivo de palma aceitera muestra un acelerado crecimiento a nivel mundial. Según datos oficia-les, solo en la región latinoamericana se evidencia un crecimiento del 150,8% en el área cultivada de palma de aceite al pasar de 443 000 hectáreas en 2001 a 1 111 000 hectáreas sembradas en 2014, de las cuales 818 000 se encontraban en etapa productiva aportando cerca del 6% del aceite de palma producido en el mundo (González, 2016). Estas plantaciones han impactado los paisajes tro-picales por la disminución de la vegetación natural, pastos o por el reemplazo de otros cultivos. La expansión del cultivo de palma de aceite aumentó en Costa Rica y de acuerdo con la tendencia de los últimos años, seguirá en aumento. En los últimos años se han realizado censos y encuestas agro-pecuarias que muestran el crecimiento general, pero no detallan las áreas geográficas donde se da ese crecimiento y el consecuente impacto a la dinámica natural de las áreas cultivadas, información clave para los procesos de ordenamiento territorial regional y local que tenemos en el país. Por tal motivo, los objetivos de esta investigación fueron: analizar el cambio en la superficie sembrada con palma aceitera en el cantón de Osa, provincia de Puntarenas en el periodo 2014-2018 y evaluar la expansión del cultivo de palma aceitera en los distritos del cantón. Para esto, se analizaron datos de instituciones gubernamentales y se identificaron y digitalizaron las plantaciones de palma aceitera de los seis distritos del cantón de Osa.
Cambios en la superficie sembrada de palma aceitera en el cantón de Osa, Puntarenas. Período 2014-2018
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2020-06-29) Salas Gonzáles, Denis Mauricio
El cultivo de palma aceitera muestra un acelerado crecimiento a nivel mundial. Según datos oficiales, solo en la región latinoamericana se evidencia un crecimiento del 150,8% en el área cultivada de palma de aceite al pasar de 443 000 hectáreas en 2001 a 1 111 000 hectáreas sembradas en 2014, de las cuales 818 000 se encontraban en etapa productiva aportando cerca del 6% del aceite de palma producido en el mundo (González, 2016). Estas plantaciones han impactado los paisajes tropicales por la disminución de la vegetación natural, pastos o por el reemplazo de otros cultivos. La expansión del cultivo de palma de aceite aumentó en Costa Rica y de acuerdo con la tendencia de los últimos años, seguirá en aumento. En los últimos años se han realizado censos y encuestas agropecuarias que muestran el crecimiento general, pero no detallan las áreas geográficas donde se da ese crecimiento y el consecuente impacto a la dinámica natural de las áreas cultivadas, información clave para los procesos de ordenamiento territorial regional y local que tenemos en el país. Por tal motivo, los objetivos de esta investigación fueron: analizar el cambio en la superficie sembrada con palma aceitera en el cantón de Osa, provincia de Puntarenas en el periodo 2014-2018 y evaluar la expansión del cultivo de palma aceitera en los distritos del cantón. Para esto, se analizaron datos de instituciones gubernamentales y se identificaron y digitalizaron las plantaciones de palma aceitera de los seis distritos del cantón de Osa.
Comparative Analysis of Pesticide Use Determinants Among Smallholder Farmers From Costa Rica and Uganda
(SAGE Publications Inc., 2020-12-14) Staudacher, Philipp; Fuhrimann, Samuel; Farnham, Andrea; Atuhaire, Aggrey; Niwagaba, Charles; Stamm, Christian; Eggen, Rik IL; Winkler, Mirko S; Mora, Ana Maria
Pesticides are used globally in agriculture and pose a threat to the health of farmers, communities, and the environment. Smallholder farmers in lowand middle-income countries have generally a low socio-economic status and educational level. Consequently, they are particularly vulnerable to negative impacts of pesticides on their health, yields, or land. In a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices study, we compared the pest management practices between a market-oriented farming system in Zarcero County, Costa Rica, and a subsistence-based farming system in Wakiso District, Uganda. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among smallholder farmers from Costa Rica (n = 300) in 2016 and from Uganda (n = 302) in 2017. We enrolled conventional and organic farmers, but also farmers with mixed practices and non-applicators of any pest management strategy. We found that the majority of pesticides used in both case studies are classified as highly hazardous by the World Health Organization. While more than 90% of smallholder farmers from both countries were aware of the negative health effects of pesticide exposure, <11% in Costa Rica and <2% in Uganda reported using personal protective equipment every time they handled or applied pesticides. Hygiene and other safe use practices were not adopted by all farmers (<61%), especially among farmers applying more hazardous pesticides. Conventional farmers from Costa Rica (14%) and Uganda (19%) reported disposing pesticide residuals into rivers. Using a logistic regression we found that organic farmers were more likely to having been trained on safe pesticide use practices. Using a robust regression, we observed that smallholder household income was primarily driven by education and not directly by the use of synthetic pesticides. Our results suggest that negative effects of pesticides can be managed over the whole life cycle, from purchase, via storage and application to residual and waste management by fostering professionalization of farmers. We advise future safe use and handling interventions to consider the pesticide use-related socioeconomic and demographic findings highlighted in this paper
Decisiones separadas de un mismo objetivo: protegerse y cosechar
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2023) Loría Bolaños, Rocío; Rodríguez Soriano, Iván Manuel
Caracterización de grupos recolectores: 172 personas para las nueve fincas (Cosecha 2020 2021), incrementó en 79% para siguientes 2 cosechas 85% Ngäbe panameña, 14% nicaragüense, 1% costarricense otros lugares. No niñas/os en 2020-2021, pero sí incluidos en la reciente. En promedio permanecen en la zona alrededor de 70 días. En fincas con pocos recolectores hasta 90 días. Variación constante desde cosecha 2019-2020: en cantidad, integrantes y procedencia. Únicamente 3 de las fincas tienen mismo grupo desde hace más de 15 años, pero incluso con cambio de las personas que vienen cosecha a cosecha.
Decreased kidney function of unknown cause in Nicaragua: a community-based survey
(National Kidney Foundation, 2010) Torres, Cecilia; Aragón, Aurora; Gonzalez-Quiroz, Marvin; López , Indiana; Jakobsson, Kristina; Elinder, Carl-Gustaf; Lundberg, Ingvar; Wesseling, Catharina
Background: End-stage kidney disease overwhelms health services in Central America. We determined prevalences of decreased kidney function in distinct populations in the most affected region of Nicaragua. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting & Participants: Total populations aged 20-60 years of 5 villages in Northwest Nicaragua: mining/subsistence farming (elevation, 100-300 m above sea level), banana/sugarcane (100-300 m), fishing (0-100 m), services (0-100 m), and coffee (200-675 m); 479 men and 617 women (83% response). Predictor or Factor: Village; participant sex, age, and occupation; conventional chronic kidney disease risk factors. Outcomes: Serum creatinine (SCr) values greater than laboratory reference range for sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, proteinuria stratified in the low (dipstick protein excretion, 30-300 mg/dL) and high (300 mg/dL) range. Results: Prevalences of abnormal SCr levels: 18% (of all men) and 5% (of all women); in the mining/subsistence farming village, 26% and 7%; banana/sugarcane, 22% and 6%; fishing, 13% and 4%; services, 0% and 1%; and coffee, 7% and 0%. Prevalences of estimated glomerular filtration rate 60 mL/min/1.73 m2: 14% (of all men) and 3% (of all women); in the listed villages, 19% and 5%, 17% and 4%, 10% and 2%, 0% and 0%, and 7% and 0%, respectively. Proteinuria, predominantly in the low range, affected 14% and 11% of all men and women without marked differences between villages. By occupation, abnormal SCr levels occurred in 31% and 24% of male and female agricultural workers at 100-300 m above sea level, but not at higher altitudes, and also was high in male artisans (43%), construction workers (15%), and miners (14%). In logistic regression models, for the banana/sugarcane and mining/subsistence farming villages, high blood pressure and age were significant predictors of abnormal SCr levels in men, and for mining/subsistence farming, age in women. Limitations: Causality is not addressed. Conclusions: In some Nicaraguan villages and population segments, men in particular show a high prevalence of decreased kidney function of unknown origin, possibly environmental or occupational.
Ecotoxicological evaluation of aquaculture and agriculture sediments with biochemical biomarkers and bioassays: antimicrobial potential exposure
(Journal of Environmental Biology, 2014-01) Arias-Andrés, María; Mena, Freylan; Pinnock Branford, Margaret Verónica
Inappropriate practices and lack of regulations regarding antimicrobial use in agricultural production of developing countries increase the risk of exposure to aquatic ecosystems. Sediments may act as sink of antimicrobial compounds and can provide a historical record of Pollution. In the present study, toxic potential of sediments receiving effluents from a fish farm (TIL1), rice farm (AZ) and swine farm (RD2) and from a reference natural wetland (PV) in a tropical dry region was evaluated. According to local surveys of antimicrobials and national product registries, sites were classified from highest to lowest potential exposure as following: RD 2>lTIL1 >AZ>PV. Both, whole sediment and interstitial water tests, showed a high toxicity of pig farm sediments to the behavior of Anodontites luteola and the survival of Daphnia magna (EC 50-48hrs: 2.4-11.8 %) (ANOVA, p<0.05). Integrated responses from Cholinesterase activity (ChE), Gluthathion-S-transferase (GST) and Lipoperoxidation (LPO) measured in A. luteola tissue pointed at the pig and rice farms as sites influenced by activities with an intensive use of xenobiotic substances. The assessment of toxicity pointed at the need of more research on sub-lethal effects of antimicrobials on aquatic invertebrates. With this purpose, we analyzed biomarker response of A. luteola to oxytetracycline and found a decrease of ChE andGSTin concentrations of 100 μg l-1.
Environmental Health Threats to Latino Migrant Farmworkers
(Annual Reviews Inc., 2021-01-04) Castillo, Federico; Mora, Ana M.; Kayser, Georgia L.; Vanos, Jennifer; Hyland, Carly; Yang, Audrey R.; Eskenazi, Brenda
Approximately 75% of farmworkers in the United States are Latino migrants, and about 50% of hired farmworkers do not have authorization to work in the United States. Farmworkers face numerous chemical, physical, and biological threats to their health. The adverse effects of these hazards may be amplified among Latino migrant farmworkers, who are concurrently exposed to various psychosocial stressors. Factors such as documentation status, potential lack of authorization to work in the United States, and language and cultural barriers may also prevent Latino migrants from accessing federal aid, legal assistance, and health programs. These environmental, occupational, and social hazards may further exacerbate existing health disparities among US Latinos. This population is also likely to be disproportionately impacted by emerging threats, including climate change and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Latino migrant farmworkers are essential to agriculture in the United States, and actions are needed to protect this vulnerable population.
Evaluación de efectos tóxicos tempranos tras la exposición de peces (Parachromis dovii) a una mezcla de Clorpirifos y Difenoconazol, a través de la respuesta de una batería de biomarcadores bioquímicos e histopatológicos
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2019) Jiménez Quesada, Katherine María; Mena Torres, Freylan
En Costa Rica, la agricultura es una de las actividades económicas más importantes. El clorpirifos (CPF) y el difenoconazol (DFZ) han sido identificados como plaguicidas ampliamente utilizados en los cultivos de banano y piña en el Caribe del país y se registran constantemente en los ecosistemas acuáticos, lo que representa un riesgo para las especies acuáticas no objetivo. Tradicionalmente se han estudiado los efectos de las sustancias individuales, pero se sabe que, en los ecosistemas, generalmente los organismos se ven expuestos a varias sustancias simultáneamente. Además, se considera relevante la utilización de biomarcadores en los estudios ecotoxicológicos, ya que son herramientas rápidas, sensibles y señales de alerta temprana en los ecosistemas. Por lo tanto, en este trabajo se estudió la toxicidad del insecticida organofosforado clorpirifos y del fungicida triazol difenoconazol en Parachromis dovii para contribuir a la comprensión de su toxicidad potencial. En la primera parte de la investigación, se obtuvieron los CL50 para cada sustancia a partir de pruebas agudas de 96 horas. Luego, se realizó la exposición a concentraciones subletales de ambas sustancias (10% de CL50) individualmente y en mezcla, con el fin de evaluar las respuestas de los biomarcadores. Se midieron las actividades de la etoxiresorufina-O-detilasa (EROD), la catalasa (CAT) y la glutatión-S transferasa (GST), así como la peroxidación de lípidos (LPO) en tejidos hepáticos y branquiales como marcadores de los procesos de biotransformación y estrés oxidativo. Además, se cuantificó en el cerebro y músculo la actividad de la colinesterasa (ChE) como un biomarcador de neurotoxicidad, así como la actividad lactato deshidrogenasa (LDH) en músculo para el estudio de algunos procesos de costo energético. Los CL50 obtenidos fueron 55,34 μg/L (CI del 95%: 51,06 a 59,98) para el clorpirifos y 3250 μg/L (CI del 95%: 2770 a 3810) para el difenoconazol. En cuanto a los biomarcadores, se registró una inhibición significativa de la actividad de la colinesterasa en cerebro y músculo de los peces expuestos a 5,50 μg/L de clorpirifos. No se produjo una inhibición cuando los peces fueron expuestos a la mezcla de clorpirifos con difenoconazol. Por otro lado, se observaron cambios significativos en la actividad de la LDH en peces expuestos a 325 μg/L de difenoconazol, así como, un aumento significativo en la actividad de EROD en el hígado de los peces expuestos a la mezcla. Estos resultados sugieren efectos nocivos del insecticida clorpirifos en concentraciones similares a las que se reportan frecuentemente en el ambiente. Además, hay evidencia de una interacción de ambas sustancias que afecta el metabolismo de la biotransformación a niveles subletales de exposición. En la segunda parte de la investigación, se realizó un ensayo de 14 días de exposición a la mezcla de plaguicidas (5,50 μg/L CPF + 325 μg/L DFZ). Cambios histológicos se evaluaron de forma semicuantitativa y se registraron según la frecuencia de aparición después de cada tratamiento (presencia/ausencia). Las alteraciones branquiales incluyeron hiperemia, infiltraciones celulares, fusiones y acortamiento. La hiperemia y las infiltraciones celulares en los peces expuestos a la mezcla de plaguicidas mostraron cambios significativos con respecto al control. Se observaron lesiones de degeneración lipídica y vacuolar, sugiriendo alteraciones hepáticas, sin embargo, no se observaron cambios significativos con respecto a los controles. Este estudio concluyó que las concentraciones subletales de CPF y DFZ en una exposición subcrónica inducen alteraciones importantes a nivel histológico, principalmente en las branquias, además se sugiere que este tipo de biomarcadores resultan útiles para complementar la evaluación de la exposición y los efectos de la mezcla de plaguicidas en estudio.
Exposure to pesticides and health effects on farm owners and workers from conventional and organic agricultural farms in Costa Rica : Protocol for a cross-sectional study
(JMIR Publications, 2019-01-25) Fuhrimann, Samuel; Winkler, Mirko S.; Staudacher, Philipp; Weiss, Frederik T.; Stamm, Christian; Eggen, Rik IL; Lindh,Christian H; Menezes-Filho, José A; Baker, Joseph M; Ramírez-Muñoz, Fernando; Gutiérrez-Vargas, Randall; Mora, Ana M
Background: Pesticide use is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Costa Rica. This increase poses health risks to farm owners, farm workers, and communities living near agricultural farms. Objective: We aimed to examine the health effects associated with occupational pesticide exposure in farm owners and workers from conventional and organic smallholder farms in Costa Rica. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 300 owners and workers from organic and conventional horticultural smallholder farms in Zarcero County, Costa Rica. During the baseline study visit, we administered a structured, tablet-based questionnaire to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, pesticide exposure, and health conditions (eg, respiratory and allergic outcomes and acute pesticide intoxication symptoms) and administered a neurobehavioral test battery (eg, Finger Tapping Test and Purdue Pegboard); we measured blood pressure, anthropometry (height, weight, and waist circumference), and erythrocytic acetylcholinesterase activity and also collected urine samples. In addition, a functional neuroimaging assessment using near-infrared spectroscopy was conducted with a subset of 50 study participants. During the follow-up study visit (~2-4 weeks after the baseline), we administered participants a short questionnaire on recent pesticide exposure and farming practices and collected hair, toenail, and urine samples. Urine samples will be analyzed for various pesticide metabolites, whereas toenails and hair will be analyzed for manganese (Mn), a biomarker of exposure to Mn-containing fungicides. Self-reported pesticide exposure data will be used to develop exposure intensity scores using an exposure algorithm. Furthermore, exposure-outcome associations will be examined using linear and logistic mixed-effects regression models. Results: Fieldwork for our study was conducted between May 2016 and August 2016. In total, 113 farm owners and 187 workers from 9 organic and 83 conventional horticultural smallholder farms were enrolled. Data analyses are ongoing and expected to be published between 2019 and 2020. Conclusions: This study is one of the first to examine differences in health effects due to pesticide exposure between farm owners and workers from organic and conventional smallholder farms in an LMIC. We expect that this study will provide critical data on farming practices, exposure pathways, and how occupational exposure to pesticides may affect farm owners and workers’ health. Finally, we hope that this study will allow us to identify strategies to reduce pesticide exposure in farm owners and workers and will potentially lay the groundwork for a future longitudinal study of health outcomes in farm owners and workers exposed to pesticides.
Field testing passive air samplers for current use pesticides in a tropical environment
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica., 2008) Gouin, Todd; Wania, Frank; Ruepert, Clemens; Castillo, Luisa E.
Air was sampled for one year in the central valley of Costa Rica using an active high-volume sampler as well as passive samplers (PAS) based on polyurethane foam (PUF) disks and XAD-resin filled mesh cylinders. Extracts were analyzed for pesticides that are either banned or currently used in Costa Rican agriculture. Sampling rates for PUF-based passive air samplers, determined from the loss of depuration compounds spiked on the disks prior to deployment, averaged 5.9 +- 0.9 m3 · d-1 and were higher during the windier dry seasonthan duringthe rainy season. Sampling ratesforthe XADbased passive sampler were determined from the slopes of linear relationships that were observed between the amount of pesticide sequestered in the resin and the length of deployment, which varied from 4 months to 1 year. Those sampling rates increased with decreasing molecular size of a pesticide, and their average of 2.1 +- 1.5 m3 · d-1 is higher than rates previously reported for temperate and polar sampling sites. Eventhoughthetrends ofthe sampling rate with molecular size and temperature are consistent with the hypothesis that molecular diffusion controls uptake in passive samplers, the trends are much more pronounced than a direct proportionality between sampling rate and molecular diffusivity would suggest. Air concentrations derived by the three sampling methods are within a factor of 2 of each other, suggesting that properly calibrated PAS can be effective tools for monitoring levels of pesticides in the tropical atmosphere. In particular, HiVol samplers, PUF-disk samplers, and XADbased passive samplers are suitable for obtaining information on air concentration variability on the time scale of days, seasons and years, respectively. This study represents the first calibration study for the uptake of current use pesticides by passive air samplers.
In situ toxicity and ecological risk assessment of agro-pesticide runoff in the Madre de Dios River in Costa Rica
(Springer, 2016-10-18) Echeverría-Sáenz, Silvia; Mena, Freylan; Arias-Andrés, María; Vargas, Seiling; Ruepert, Clemens; van den brink, Paul; Castillo, Luisa E.; Gunnarsson, Jonas
The River Madre de Dios (RMD) and its lagoon is a biodiversity rich watershed formed by a system of streams, rivers, channels, and a coastal lagoon communicating with the Caribbean Sea. This basin sustains a large area of agricultural activity (mostly banana, rice, and pineapple) with intensive use of pesticides, continually detected in water samples. We investigated in situ the toxicological effects caused by pesticide runoff from agriculture and the relation of pesticide concentrations with different biological organization levels: early responses in fish biomarkers (sub-organismal), acute toxicity to Daphnia magna (organismal), and aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure. The evaluation was carried out between October 2011 and November 2012 at five sites along the RMD influenced by agricultural discharges and a reference site in a stream outside the RMD that receives less pesticides. Acute toxicity to D. magna was observed only once in a sample from the RMD (Caño Azul); the index of biomarker responses in fish exposed in situ was higher than controls at the same site and at the RMD-Freeman. However, only macroinvertebrates were statistically related to the presence of pesticides, combined with both physical-chemical parameters and habitat degradation. All three groups of variables determined the distribution of macroinvertebrate taxa through the study sites.
Lower tier toxicity risk assessment of agriculture pesticides detected on the Río Madre de Dios watershed, Costa Rica
(Springer, 2016-10-25) Arias-Andrés, M.; Rämö, Robert; Mena Torres, F.; Ugalde, R.; Grandas, L.; Ruepert, Clemens; Castillo, L. E.; van den brink, Paul; Gunnarsson, J. S.
Costa Rica is a tropical country with one of the highest biodiversity on Earth. It also has an intensive agriculture, and pesticide runoff from banana and pineapple plantations may cause a high toxicity risk to non-target species in rivers downstream the plantations. We performed a first tier risk assessment of the maximum measured concentrations of 32 pesticides detected over 4 years in the River Madre de Dios (RMD) and its coastal lagoon on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) were plotted in order to derive HC5 values for each pesticide, i.e., hazard concentrations for 5 % of the species, often used as environmental criteria values in other countries. We also carried out toxicity tests for selected pesticides with native Costa Rican species in order to calculate risk coefficients according to national guidelines in Costa Rica. The concentrations of herbicides diuron and ametryn and insecticides carbofuran, diazinon, and ethoprophos exceeded either the HC5 value or the lower limit of its 90 % confidence interval suggesting toxic risks above accepted levels. Risk coefficients of diuron and carbofuran derived using local guidelines indicate toxicity risks as well. The assessed fungicides did not present acute toxic risks according to our analysis. Overall, these results show a possible toxicity of detected pesticides to aquatic organisms and provide a comparison of Costa Rican national guidelines with more refined methods for risk assessment based on SSDs. Further higher tier risk assessments of pesticides in this watershed are also necessary in order to consider pesticide water concentrations over time, toxicity from pesticide mixtures, and eventual effects on ecosystem functions.

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Examinando Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas (IRET) por Materia "AGRICULTURA"