International Journal of Advanced Engineering

Research and Science (IJAERS)

Peer-Reviewed Journal
ISSN: 2349-6495(P) | 2456-1908(O)
Vol-9, Issue-6; Jun, 2022
Journal Home Page Available: https://ijaers.com/
Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijaers.96.26

The Effects of Pesticides on Humans and the Environment

Moises da Silva Martins1, Helena Cassia de Oliveira2

1
martinsmoises@bol.com.br
2AgribusinessTechnologist, helena.oliveira01@fatec.sp.gov.br

Received: 21 May 2022, Abstract— This article highlights the use of chemical agents in
Received in revised form: 13 Jun 2022, agriculture, which undoubtedly causes a series of environmental impacts
when used improperly and puts health and human life at risk. In a
Accepted: 19 Jun 2022,
methodological, qualitative, bibliographic and exploratory way, with
Available online: 26 Jun 2022 research in magazines and books specialized in the subject, it shows the
©2022 The Author(s). Published by AI bottlenecks of pesticides, in addition to highlighting possible problems
Publication. This is an open access article that the ecosystem faces in the face of the indiscriminate use of these
under the CC BY license products. The article also seeks to show the serious consequences that the
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). indiscriminate use of agrochemicals can bring to the environment, when
used without information and knowledge, showing in the conclusion the
Keywords— Environment, Agrochemicals,
importance of having environmental awareness. The present study brings
Agriculture.
a review of scientific reports of impacts of pesticides on the environment
and human health. Human beings are subject to direct and daily exposure
to these chemical compounds in the areas of production, treatment and
storage of products, and indirectly, but with no less serious consequences
for being exposed to residues found in the environment and in products
consumed, so in a clear and objective way environmental preservation
and education are fundamental.

I. INTRODUCTION environments, whose purpose is to change the composition

Work in agriculture can be considered a practice of flora or fauna, in order to preserve them from the
with some dangers. Among the various occupational harmful action of living beings considered harmful, as well
hazards, agrochemicals/pesticides that are related to as substances and products used as defoliants, desiccants ,
intoxication of living beings and various other stimulators AND growth inhibitors, also states that when
environmental damages stand out. This work seeks to used correctly, it helps and not destroys. The concern in
bring information to people about the importance of the this article is to confront information, with an exploratory
correct use of agrochemicals and environmental awareness methodology, in order to, in the final conclusion, show the
since the indiscriminate and often incorrect use of possibility of using and strengthening the proper use of
agrochemicals in Brazil, as well as in other countries, pesticides / agrochemicals.
results in severe levels of environmental pollution and 1.1 Types of pesticides
intoxication. human life causing major health and food Pesticides can be classified according to the pests they
safety problems. For Azevedo (2016), pesticides are control, the chemical structure that composes them or the
products and agents of physical, chemical or biological damage they cause to nature and human health. According
processes, intended for use in the production sectors, in the to the type of pest controlled, pesticides are classified into:
storage and processing of agricultural products, in
pastures, in the protection of forests, native or planted, and • Herbicides → control invasive plants.
of other ecosystems and urban, water and industrial • Insecticides → control insects.

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Martins et al. International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, 9(6)-2022

• Fungicides → control fungi. (ANVISA) which classifies pesticides into four classes of
harm to human health: slightly toxic, moderately toxic,
• Bactericides → control bacteria.
highly toxic and extremely toxic. On the labels of these
1.2 Toxicological classification products, in addition to the colors that represent each class,
Figure 1 below shows the toxicological classification the lethality doses of each are also indicated.
according to the National Health Surveillance Agency

Fig.1: Shows the classification of the effects of pesticides on humans

Source: World of Education, 2009

1.3 Effects with the use of pesticides / agrochemicals occurred in developing or underdeveloped countries
Parts of farmers are unaware of the risks posed by (JEYARATNAM, 1990, p.207).
these products, consequently, they neglect some basic The use of suitable protective equipment by the
standards essential for safety at work, from that point farmer can reduce exposure by up to 100% (BONSAL,
onwards this work aims to show the importance of the 2015, p.13). However, due to economic, cultural or lack of
correct use of these agrochemicals for the preservation of information about the risk, the use of this equipment is
the environment and human health. often precarious or non-existent.
According to Azevedo (2016), agrochemicals can Also, according to Bonsal (2015), Some
cause great economic and environmental damage to interrelated factors act as determinants of the amplification
society. When used incorrectly, it causes contamination of and reduction of the impact that the use of agrochemicals
water and soils, as it travels in the environment, through can have on the health of human populations, such as: a)
winds and rainwater to places far from the applied site. It low level of education; b) the lack of a more efficient
can still be responsible for the high intoxication rates monitoring/technical advice policy; c) the exploratory
observed among rural producers and workers, in addition practices of advertising and sales, by the industries
to causing food contamination. producing and distributing pesticides; d) lack of
The use of agrochemicals in the field primarily knowledge of alternative and efficient cultivation
affects rural workers, who handle and apply these techniques; e) the little attention given to the disposal of
compounds. The World Health Organization estimates that tailings and packaging; f) the continued use/exposure of
around 4 million acute poisonings caused by these pesticides; g) the eminently technical content of the
compounds occurred worldwide by 2000, with about information material available to rural populations; h)
220,000 deaths per year. About 70% of the registered cases communication difficulties between technicians and

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Martins et al. International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, 9(6)-2022

farmers; i) absence of efficient government initiatives to significantly exposed to the harmful effects of these
provide continued technical assistance to rural workers; chemical agents (CARVALHO et al, 2005, p 223).
and j) the lack of efficient government strategies to control 2.1 The environmental impact
the sale of pesticides.
The consumption of pesticides generates a vicious
circle: the more they are used, the greater the imbalances
II. DEVELOPMENT caused and the greater the need to use, in more intense
Man has been learning since prehistory doses, increasingly toxic formulations.
to practice agriculture in a more productive way in order to Fauna and flora are also largely affected by the
ensure his livelihood. However, he coexists with the use of indiscriminate chemical inputs. According to Ferrari
problem of pests that destroy plants, crops and stored food, (1985, p.112), the land carried by the rainwater takes
usually in large quantities. The fight against pests is old. pesticide residues to rivers, lakes and dams, compromising
The Chinese, about 1,000 years ago, already used arsenic the aquatic fauna and flora, in addition to compromising
compounds such as arsenic sulfide for this purpose. So, in the waters captured for the purpose of supply.
order to protect their harvest, man developed They can also cause an increase in pests instead of
agrochemicals also called pesticides, pesticides or fighting them, because as chemical inputs are used, the
agricultural pesticides, among others. These chemicals, or pests become more resistant, requiring increasingly
a mixture of these, are intended for the use, storage and stronger pesticides, thus further harming the environment,
improvement of agricultural products, in pastures, in the decimating even the own natural predators of the pests.
protection of forests and other urban, water and industrial
Industrial Agriculture, labeled modern and
ecosystems, in order to preserve them from the harmful
advanced, based on economics and immediate results in
action of living beings considered harmful, also used as
protecting cultivated plants against the action of pests,
defoliating substances and products, desiccants,
pathogens and invasive weeds, has constantly failed.
stimulators, growth inhibitors and fertilizers for plants. For
Rigoto (2014) its indiscriminate application causes For Industrial Agriculture, the objective is merely
numerous problems, both for the health of applicators and productivity, leaving aside ecological balance, such as:
consumers, as well as for the Environment, contaminating stability of agricultural systems: conservation of natural
the soil and water, leading to the death of plants and resources (water, soil and air) and food quality.
animals. 2.2 Contamination of water resources by excess water
Brazilian agriculture has increasingly made use of applied
these chemical inputs, mainly pesticides, and this causes a Excess water applied in irrigation returns to
series of ecological problems. rivers, through surface and surface runoff or goes to
According to Ferrari (1985, p.110) "until the underground deposits, by deep percolation, dragging with
1950s, agricultural activities were directed towards the it residues of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other
generation of products (coffee and cotton, mainly) for the toxic elements, called soluble salts. Water resources thus
self-consumption of the population residing in rural areas contaminated require appropriate treatment when destined
and a few urban centers", but with the increase in urban for the supply of potable water.
population, there was a need to increase agricultural Contamination of surface waters, especially rivers
production to supply urban centers, using pesticides to and streams, is rapid and occurs immediately after
combat pests even without knowing the consequences that irrigation. There have been serious problems arising from
could be generated by these products. the application of herbicides in flood irrigation; in furrow
Also, according to Ferrari (1985, p.111) food irrigation, the applied water carries, in addition to
contamination, river pollution, soil erosion and herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides and sediments. It can also
desertification, intoxication and death of farmers and occur more slowly, through the subsurface water table,
extinction of animal species, are some of the most serious which receives fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides
consequences of industrial chemical agriculture and of the dissolved in the applied water. This contamination can be
indiscriminate use of pesticides widely stimulated in the aggravated if there are soluble salts in the soil, because,
last 25 years. when infiltrating, the water already containing the salts
applied in the crop, will still dissolve the salts in the soil,
Due to environmental contamination and pesticide
becoming more harmful.
residues in food, we can also estimate that populations
living close to cultivation areas and urban dwellers are also

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Groundwater contamination is much slower. The attested by bodies such as the Ministry of Agriculture,
time required for percolation to the groundwater table ANVISA and IBAMA (agriculture, health and
increases with decreasing soil permeability and water table environment sectors) in order to guarantee the safety of the
depth. To reach a water table situated at about 30 m deep, population regarding the use of pesticides. same. The
depending on the permeability of the soil, it may take from commercialization of pesticides can only be carried out
3 to 50 years. Therein lies a serious problem, because it is upon presentation of a prescription issued and prescribed
only a long time later that it will be known that by an agronomist, and the product must present on its label
groundwater has been polluted; this problem worsens the indications of use and safety.
pollutants are dissolved salts, nitrates, pesticides and heavy Currently Brazil, in addition to being considered
metals. one of the largest agricultural powers, is also one of the
A previous geological study can reveal the countries that consume the most pesticides in the world.
concentration of soluble salts in the soil profile and According to Revista Pesquisa Fapesp, this market moves
indicate the most favorable areas, that is, with less around US$ 10 billion a year in Brazil. Data from the
potential for contamination of water resources. The greater agricultural census indicate that there was a 20% increase
the percolation and surface runoff losses in irrigation, the between 2006 and 2017 in rural producers who use
greater the chances of contamination of springs and pesticides in their crops.
groundwater. It is increasingly necessary to dimension and But it is necessary to say that although Brazil is
manage irrigation systems with greater efficiency, as well among the biggest consumers of pesticides in the world,
as correctly dose fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. this consumption in relation to the cultivated area is
2.3 The bias relatively low. Thus, despite the reports pointing to an
Intoxications caused by pesticides in Brazil are increase in the consumption of pesticides, at the same time
second only to those caused by narcotics, misused there was an increase in productivity. According to
medicines and homemade cleaning products, mainly, as SINDAG (National Union of Agricultural Aviation
observed by Azevedo (2016), who has also pointed out in Companies) Brazil produced more food with less
his works that the use of transgenic plants in agriculture pesticides.
drastically reduced the use of pesticides. It also states that Brazil occupies the leadership of the world
the genetic improvement of plants is a powerful technical- pesticide consumption ranking (BRASIL, 2015). It does
scientific force for the success of agribusiness, in the way not seem to do justice, as it should, to Law No. 7,802/89
of a substantial increase in the production and productivity (BRASIL, 1989) (regulated by Decree No. 4074/02),
of cultivars, in addition to enabling environmental which provides for rules related to the pesticide chain
protection, reduction of the application of pesticides, (research, experimentation, production, packaging and
fertilizers and correctives, considering precision labeling, transport, storage, commercialization,
agriculture. commercial advertising, use, import, export, final
2.3 Pesticides in Brazil destination of waste and packaging, registration,
classification, control2e, inspection and inspection).
The use of pesticides in Brazil is related to
climatic factors especially. Brazil is a tropical country, There are reports that demonstrate the harmful
with no winter periods in some regions for the pest cycle to effects of pesticides on the environment and human health,
be interrupted, as occurs in temperate and subtropical but despite this, of the various active ingredients banned in
climates. Another reason is linked to the evolution that the European Union, still in the 1990s, few were banned in
took place in the field. The technology currently used in Brazil, and they were banned very recently, in last two or
agriculture has allowed for an increase in production. Not three years. However, some of these compounds are still
to mention monoculture, widely practiced in Brazil, which freely traded. The Brazilian Association of Collective
also favors the cycle of pests. These factors may explain Health (ABRASCO) states that, of the 50 products most
the need to use agrochemicals. used in Brazilian crops, 22 are banned in the European
Union and in other countries (DOSSIÊ..., 2012a).
It is also worth mentioning that the National
Although some active ingredients are banned in Brazil,
Agricultural Development Plan (PNDA) encouraged the
their residues are still found in food. On the other hand, the
use of pesticides and offered investments to farmers who
indiscriminate use of pesticides, even with authorized use,
used them, as well as to industries that produced them.
has resulted in foods with high levels of contamination,
In the country, the registration, safety of above the maximum allowed (ANVISA, 2011).
pesticides and the feasibility of using pesticides are

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One of the factors that further boosted the use of - The prices of products with pesticides are cheaper than
pesticides in Brazilian crops was the advent of genetically the prices of organic products.
modified organisms. Transgenic crops, so called, end up 2.5.2 Disadvantages
contributing to the reduction of biodiversity (SIQUEIRA et
- The use of pesticides is associated with several chronic
al., 2004).
problems, such as chromosomal alterations, cancer, liver
The artificialization system of nature causes the diseases, respiratory diseases, among others;
imbalance of ecosystems, promoting the emergence of new
- Incorrect use of pesticides can cause damage to the
pests, which require the application of new pesticides,
environment, such as contamination of soil and water
which can lead to the selection of those more resistant.
resources;
These pests, in turn, will need more impactful pesticides,
e.g. according to scholars on the subject, the use of - The use above the allowed in food can bring risks to the
transgenic causes a vicious circle from which agriculture health of consumers;
cannot break free (LONDON, 2011). Thus, the Brazilian - There are risks of intoxication by workers who handle
scenario is worrying, because behind the scenes of each pesticides;
production record, at the same time, there can be a great
- Some pesticides are persistent in the environment, that is,
environmental impact caused by phytosanitary products,
they remain in them for a long time.
since agroecology and sustainability are interests of few.
2.4 Flexibility of the pesticide law in Brazil
The use of pesticides in Brazil is regulated by the III. CONCLUSION
Agrochemicals Law (Law No. 7.8022, of 1989). In 2018, a With this research it is concluded that all the
proposed project was approved by the Chamber of impacts caused by the incorrect use of pesticides result in
Deputies that provides for the release of the use of direct or indirect damages to man. The contamination of
pesticides by the Ministry of Agriculture without the soils, air, water, fauna and flora caused by its incorrect use
interference of bodies such as IBAMA or ANVISA. The brings numerous problems both for the environment and
project revokes the 1989 law and promotes changes to the for the health of living beings.
rules for the production, marketing and distribution of Based on the above, it is evident the need and
pesticides, making it more flexible. importance of an efficient environmental education of
This approval was the reason for intense debates information for the general public, in the sense that the
between environmentalists, who defend the non-use of correct use of pesticides has its large and important part in
these chemicals, and ruralists, who say that it is inevitable the formation of an adequate cultural attitude of the users.
not to use them, since Brazilian productivity in the Also, it is concluded that pesticides when used correctly
agricultural sector depends on these substances. can even be beneficial to man and the environment, but
In 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture approved the when used without knowledge it becomes the worst enemy
registration of highly toxic pesticides. Data from ANVISA of the human being.
reveal that Brazil is currently one of the main destinations
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Posted by: Rafaela Sousa

Despite being harmful to health, pesticides are widely used in Brazil and worldwide to combat pests and diseases in
plantations.*
Photo and post by: Rafaela Sousa (2018)

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