Presence of glyphosate in urine due to environmental exposure among populations of agro-industrial areas in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

IntroductionAn increasing number of rural communities express perception of health damage from glyphosate and other agrochemicals. We measure the presence of glyphosate in the human body, in order to create, together with the local community, a systemic model that highlights modifiable causal socio-environmental conditions.Materials and methodsParticipatory Action Research. Measurement of environmental factors and self-reported oncological disease were obtained in a three-stage probabilistic sampling (blocks, houses, family) of people living in French city - 9 de Julio-Buenos Aires. Glyphosate in urine was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. The exposure pathway was obtained by interviewing positive cases. A conceptual systemic model was designed.Resultsof the total 46 blocks of French, 23 were included with systematic sampling and from the 76 houses selected (50%) one person was included in the study. Oncological disease was reported in 21.8% of the households. 13% of the population (95% CI 6.5-23) presented quantifiable glyphosate in urine in June 2023. Occupational exposure was ruled out in all cases. The main self-reported sources were: unloading agrochemicals in the nearby warehouse, the grain storage complex, pesticide drift and self-propelled sprayers that pass by on the street, variables belonging to economic and cultural conditions. A network of actors emerged who, gathered on a website, propose actions to the mayor’s office.DiscussionThis study has high external validity for public health decision makers regarding the determinants. It is necessary to notify the Argentine Integrated Health System, both suspected exposure and possibly related health events, and to design how to refer human samples to highly complex laboratories to measure pesticides.Conclusionthe presence of glyphosate in urine was due to environmental exposure; It expresses a path of passive, involuntary and chronic absorption of environmental pollutants and is due to French’s agricultural activity with dominance of market forces in the system, poorly antagonized by care forces.