Argentina annually utilizes 240,000 tones of glyphosate in industrial agriculture and a change in the profile of morbidity is perceived for physicians of agricultural areas; now reproductive disorders seem to prevail. The objective of this study is to determine concurrence of glyphosate exposure and reproductive disorders in a typical argentine agricultural town (Monte Maíz). An ecological study was developed with an environmental analysis of pollution sources including measurements of glyphosate and other pesticides and a cross-sectional study of spontaneous abortions and congenital abnormalities prevalence. Glyphosate was detected in soil and grain dust and was found to be at an even higher concentration in the village soil than in the rural area; 650 tonnes of glyphosate are used annually in the region and manipulated inner town contaminating the soil and dust in suspension of the town creating an burden of environmental exposure to glyphosate of 79 kg per person per year. We do not find other relevant sources of pollution. The spontaneous abortion and congenital abnormalities rates are three and two times higher than the national average reported by the national health (10% vs. 3% and 3% - 4.3% vs 1.4% respectively). Our study verified high environmental exposure to glyphosate in association with increased frequencies of reproductive disorders (spontaneous abortion and congenital abnormalities) in argentine agricultural village, but is unable to make assertions cause-effect. Further studies are required with designs for such purposes.
KeywordsGlyphosateSpontaneous AbortionsCongenital AbnormalitiesEnvironmental ExposureEnvironmental Health
Lopez, G. (2010) La Agricultura Argentina al 2020. Fundación producir conservando 2010. https://www.ucema.edu.ar/conferencias/download/2010/20.08.pdf
Avila-Vazquez, M. and Difilippo, F.S. (2016) Agricultura Tóxica y Pueblos Fumigados de Argentina. Crítica y Resistencias. Revista de conflictos sociales latinoamericanos, No. 2, 23-45. http://criticayresistencias.comunis.com.ar
Avila-Vazquez, M. and Nota, C. (2010) Report from the 1st NATIONAL MEETING OF PHYSICIANS IN THE CROP-SPRAYED TOWNS. Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Cordoba. http://www.reduas.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/10/INGLES-Report-from-the-1st-National-Meeting-Of-Physicians-In-The-Crop-Sprayed-Towns.pdf
Di Renzo, G.C., Conry, J.A., Blake, J., DeFrancesco, M.S., DeNicola, N., Martin Jr, J.N., et al. (2015) International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Opinion on Reproductive Health Impacts of Exposure to Toxic Environmental Chemicals. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 131, 219-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgo.2015.09.002
Avila-Vazquez, M., Maturano, E., Etchegoyen, A., Difilippo, F.S. and Maclean, B. (2017) Association between Cancer and Environmental Exposure to Glyphosate. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 8, 73-85. https://doi.org/10.4236/ijcm.2017.82007
Scribner, E.A., Battaglin, W.A., Gilliom, R.J. and Meyer, M.T. (2007) Concentrations of Glyphosate, Its Degradation Product, Aminomethylphosphonic Acid, and Glufosinate in Ground- and Surface-Water, Rainfall, And Soil Samples Collected in the United States, 2001-06: US Geological Survey. Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5122, 14-17. http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2007/5122/pdf/SIR2007-5122.pdf
American Public Health Association (APHA) (2012) American Water Works Association (AWWA) & Water Environment Federation (WEF). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water & Wastewater, 22nd Edition.
Municipalidad de Monte Maíz (2015) Información General. http://www.montemaiz.gob.ar/index.php?pageid=68
RENAC—REPORTE ANUAL (2014) Análisis epidemiológico sobre anomalías congénitas en recién nacidos, registradas en 2013. Ministerio de Salud. http://www.msal.gov.ar/congenitas/renac-reporte-anual-2014/
Ley 9694 (2009) Provincia de Córdoba. Sistema de Evaluación, Registro y Fiscalización de las Investigaciones en Salud. https://www.unrc.edu.ar/unrc/coedi/docs/salud/sal_coeis_ley9694.pdf
Castillo Taucher, S. (2007) Servicios para la atención y la prevención de defectos congénitos: Síntesis de una reunión de la Organización Mundial de la Salud y la Fundación March of Dimes. Revista Médica de Chile, 135, 806-813. http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-98872007000600018 https://doi.org/10.4067/S0034-98872007000600018
Aizen, M.A., Garibaldi, L.A. and Dondo, M. (2009) Expansión de la soja y diversidad de la agricultura argentina. Austral Ecology, 19, 45-54.
REDUAS (2013) The Use of Toxic Agrochemicals in Argentina Is Continuously Increasing; Analysis of Data from the Pesticide Market in Argentina. http://www.reduas.com.ar/the-use-of-toxic-agrochemicals-in-argentina-is-continuously-increasing/
Open Signal (2014) Towers Identifier and Cell Coverage Map. http://opensignal.com
Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad (CEDES) y Centro de Estudios de Población (CENEP) (2007) Morbilidad materna severa en la Argentina, Estimación de la magnitud del aborto inducido. http://www.despenalizacion.org.ar/pdf/evidencia/estudios/estimacion_aborto_inducido.pdf
Avila-Vazquez, M., Maturano, E., Etchegoyen, A., Difilippo, F.S. and Maclean, B. (2016) Informe Estudio de Salud Ambiental de Barrio San Antonio y Residencial San Antonio, 2016. Red Universitaria de Ambiente y Salud. http://reduas.com.ar/informe-estudio-de-salud-ambiental-de-barrio-san-antonio-y-residencial-san-antonio-2016/
Aiassa, D. (2010) Exposición a Plaguicidas. Monitoreo de daño genético en poblaciones humanas. 1st National Meeting of Physicians in the Crop-Sprayed Towns, Cordoba, 10 August 2010, 18-20. http://www.reduas.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/primer-informe.pdf
Arbuckle, T.E., Lin, Z. and Mery, L.S. (2001) An Exploratory Analysis of the Effect of Pesticide Exposure on the Risk of Spontaneous Abortion in an Ontario Farm Population. Environmental Health Perspectives, 109, 851-857. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.01109851
Settimi, L., Spinelli, A., Lauria, L., Miceli, G., Pupp, N., Angotzi, G., et al. (2008) Spontaneous Abortion and Maternal Work in Greenhouses. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 51, 290-295. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.20556
Sanborn, M., Kerr, K.J., Sanin, L.H., Cole, D.C., Bassil, K.L. and Vakil, C. (2007) Non-Cancer Health Effects of Pesticides: Systematic Review and Implications for Family Doctors. Canadian Family Physician, 53, 1712-1720.
Sanborn, M., Bassil, K., Vakil, C. and Kerr, K. (2012) Systematic Review of Pesticide Health Effects. Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Ontario College of Family Physicians, Toronto. http://ocfp.on.ca/docs/pesticides-paper/2012-systematic-review-of-pesticide.pdf
Trombotto, G.L. (2009) Tendencia de las Malformaciones Congénitas Mayores en el Hospital Universitario de Maternidad y Neonatología de la Ciudad de Córdoba en los años 1972-2003. Un Problema Emergente en Salud Pública (tesis). Universidad Nacional, Córdoba.
Benitez Leite, S., Macchi, M.L. and Acosta, M. (2007) Malformaciones congénitas asociadas a agrotóxicos. Pediatría (Asunción), 34, 111-121.
Silva, S.R., Martins, J.L., Seixas, S., Silva, D.C., Lemos, S.P. and Lemos, P.V. (2011) Congenital Defects and Exposure to Pesticides in São Francisco Valley. Revista Brasileira De Ginecologia E Obstetricia, 33, 20-26.
Winchester, P.D., Huskins, J. and Ying, J. (2009) Agrichemicals in Surface Water and Birth Defects in the United States. Acta Paediatrica, 98, 664-669. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.01207.x
Schreinemachers, D.M. (2003) Birth Malformations and Other Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Four U.S. Wheat-Producing States. Environmental Health Perspectives, 111, 1259-1264. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.5830
Paganelli, A., Gnazzo, V., Acosta, H., López, S.L. and Carrasco, A.E. (2010) Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Produce Teratogenic Effects on Vertebrates by Impairing Retinoic Acid Signaling. Chemical Research in Toxicology, 23, 1586-1595. https://doi.org/10.1021/tx1001749
Dallegrave, E., Mantese, F.D., Coelho, R.S., Pereira, J.D., Dalsenter, P.R. and Langeloh, A. (2003) The Teratogenic Potential of the Herbicide Glyphosate-Roundup in Wistar Rats. Toxicology Letters, 142, 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4274(02)00483-6
Cava, T. and Könen, S. (2007) Detection of Cytogenetic and DNA Damage in Peripheral Erythrocytes of Goldfish (Carassius auratus) Exposed to a Glyphosate Formulation using the Micronucleus Test and the Comet Assay. Mutagenesis, 22, 263-268. https://doi.org/10.1093/mutage/gem012
Mañas, F., Peralta, L., Raviolo, J., García Ovando, H. and Garcia-Schuler, H. (2009) Genotoxicity and Oxidative Stress of Glyphosate: In Vivo and in Vitro Testing. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 28, 37-41.
Alvarez-Moya, C., Silva, M.R., Ramírez, C.V., Gallardo, D.G., Sánchez, R.L., Aguirre, A.C. and Velasco, A.F. (2014) Comparison of the in Vivo and in Vitro Genotoxicity of Glyphosate Isopropylamine Salt in Three Different Organisms. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 37, 105-110. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-47572014000100016
Simoniello, M.F., Kleinsorge, E.C. and Carballo, M.A. (2010) Evaluación bioquímica de trabajadores rurales expuestos a pesticidas. Medicina (B. Aires), 70, 489-498.
Paz-y-Miño, C., Sánchez, M.E., Arévalo, M., Muñoz, M.J., Witte, T., De-la-Carrera, G.O. and Leone, P.E. (2007) Evaluation of DNA Damage in an Ecuadorian Population Exposed to Glyphosate. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 30, 456-460. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-47572007000300026
Guyton, K.Z., Loomis, D., Grosse, Y., El-Ghissassi, F., Benbrahim-Tallaa, L., Guha, N., et al. (2015) Carcinogenicity of Tetrachlorvinphos, Parathion, Malathion, Diazinon, and Glyphosate. The Lancet Oncology, 16, 490-491. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol112/mono112-09.pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(15)70134-8
Peralta, L., Mañas, F., Gentile, N., Bosch, B., Mnedez, A. and Aiassa, D. (2011) Evaluación del daño genético en pobladores de Marcos Juárez expuestos a plaguicidas: Estudio de un caso en Córdoba, Argentina. DiáLogos, 2, 7-26. http://gemalab.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2011-Marcos-Juarez.pdf
Bernardi, N., Gentile, N., Mañas, F., Méndez, A., Gorla, N. and Aiassa, D. (2015) Assessment of the Level of Damage to the Genetic Material of Children Exposed to Pesticides in the Province of Córdoba. Archivos Argentinos De Pediatria, 113, 126-132.