International safety assessment of pesticides: dithiocarbamate pesticides, ETU, and PTU--a review and update.

For the last 30 years the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) has carried out toxicological evaluations and safety assessments of dithiocarbamate pesticides, continuously adjusting previous appraisals in the light of new data and advances in the understanding of the principles and mechanisms of toxic action of these compounds. The historical narrative of the evaluative process is followed by an account of the present international safety assessment status of the dithiocarbamate pesticides so far examined by the JMPR. They are ferbam, mancozeb, maneb, metiram, nabam, propineb, thiram, zineb, ziram, and the associated substances, ethylenethiourea (ETU) and propylenethiourea (PTU).

Cholera on the American continents

Análise da cólera nas Américas, observando os aspectos epidemiológicos, veículos de transmissão, controle dos surtos, diagnóstico e tratamento, vacinas e vigilância epidemiológica

Projeto de vigilância epidemiológica em ecotoxicologia de pesticidas: abordagem preliminar / Epidemiological surveillance project in pesticides ecotoxicology. Preliminary approach

Säo relatados resultados iniciais de Projeto de Vigilância epidemiológica implantado em 1982 na regiäo de Campinas, interior do Estado de Säo Paulo, o qual, sob abordagem ecológica, analisa em vários aspectos a utilizaçäo dos pesticidas e as conseqüencias do seu uso indevido sobre a saúde da populaçäo rural trabalhadora

Misuse of organomercury fungicides in Brazil.

A methoxyethyl mercuric compound, licensed in Brazil as a fungicide for seed dressing, was widely used for spraying tomato and other vegetable crops in 1966 and 1967.Mercury residues ranging from 0.05 to 0.30 mg/kg were detected in 14% of the tomatoes, 13% of other vegetable samples, and 57% of the tomato paste batches.A wide campaign through newspapers, radio, and television was quickly established to educate farmers and the population in general on the hazards of ingestion of mercury-contaminated food.All samples of tomatoes and other vegetables positive for mercury (residues above 0.05 mg/kg) were destroyed. Inspection posts on the main roads and highways prevented the delivery of contaminated food to cities and food processing plants.The sale of organomercury fungicides is now controlled in Brazil; however, treated seeds which are not planted may be diverted to human or animal consumption. There is no official record of accidents, but occasional cases of poisoning are known.The mercury residue level in Brazilian fish is low, indicating that environmental pollution by mercury is not a big problem in the country. However, some fresh-water and estuarine fish may contain mercury residues ranging from 0.01 to 0.66 mg/kg.

Cytogenetic study on individuals occupationally exposed to DDT

Workers from three insecticide plants in direct contact with 2,2-bis (â-chloro-phenyl)-1,1,1,-trichloroethane (DDT) did not differ significantly in the frequencies of cells with chromosomal aberrations when compared with controls from the same plants but not in direct contact with the drug. The same was true when a group of workers from one plant was compared with a control group from the Institute Butantan, with no history of occupational exposure to DDT. Yet, when the control group from one of the three plants, which showed high DDT plasmic levels, was added to the group in direct contact with the insecticide, the frequency of cells with chromatid aberrations was significantly higher, suggesting that DDT causes chromatid lesions. A positive correlation was found between DDT levels and times of exposure, but being in direct or indirect contact with DDT was not always correlated with the degree of contamination.