Health risk assessment of the approved pesticides in Brazil between 2020 and 2023

Abstract

The use of pesticides in Brazil is significant and has
increased in recent years. This fact highlights a concerning
scenario regarding risks to human health. In this context,
the aim of this study was to investigate the active
ingredients of pesticides authorized for use in the country
between 2020 and 2023, in order to select those with the
greatest potential to pose risks to human health,
particularly due to contamination of water supply sources.
To achieve this, the methodology was based on data from
pesticides authorized for use in Brazil by ANVISA,
followed by an assessment of their carcinogenic potential,
properties related to their environmental fate, and a risk
assessment considering the combination of exposure and
toxicity. As a result, 42 pesticides authorized during the
selected period were chosen initially. Regarding
carcinogenicity, according to USEPA data, six pesticides
showed evidence suggesting carcinogenic potential, and
two were classified as possibly carcinogenic. Based on the
analysis of the environmental fate of the 42 selected
pesticides, seven were excluded due to the evaluation
criteria, considering their low risk of contaminating
surface and groundwater sources. Subsequently, the risk
assessment based on the exposure-toxicity binomial
highlighted the herbicides pyroxasulfone and metamifop.
Pyroxasulfone, authorized in 2020, showed increasing
sales in the country, particularly in the state of São Paulo,
while metamifop was authorized in 2022 and was widely
marketed in Rio Grande do Sul in 2023.