Identifying pesticides of high concern for ecosystem, plant, animal, and human health: A comprehensive field study across Europe and Argentina.

The widespread and excessive use of pesticides in modern agricultural practices has caused pesticide contamination of the environment, animals, and humans, with confirmed serious health consequences. This study aimed to identify the 20 most critical substances based on an analysis of detection frequency (DF) and median concentrations (MC) across environmental and biological matrices. A sampling campaign was conducted across 10 case study sites in Europe and 1 in Argentina, each encompassing conventional and organic farming systems. We analysed 209 active substances in a total of 4609 samples. All substances ranked among the 20 most critical were detected in silicon wristbands worn by humans and animals and indoor dust from both farming systems. Five of them were detected in all environmental matrices. Overall, higher values of DF and MC, including in the blood plasma of animals and humans, were recorded in samples of conventional compared to organic farms. The differences between farming systems were greater in the environmental samples and less in animal and human samples. Ten substances were detected in animal blood plasma from conventional farms and eight in animal blood plasma from organic farms. Two of those, detected in both farming systems, are classified as hazardous for mammals (acute). Five substances detected in animal blood plasma from organic farms and seven detected in animal blood plasma from conventional farms are classified as hazardous for mammals (dietary). Three substances detected in human blood plasma are classified as carcinogens. Seven of the substances detected in human blood plasma are classified as endocrine disruptors. Six substances, of which five were detected in human blood plasma, are hazardous for reproduction/development. Efforts are needed to elucidate the unknown effects of mixtures, and it is crucial that such research also considers biocides and banned substances, which constitute a baseline of contamination that adds to the effect of substances used in agriculture.

Pesticide Residues in Organic and Conventional Agricultural Soils across Europe: Measured and Predicted Concentrations.

During the growing season of 2021, 201 soil samples from conventionally and organically managed fields from 10 European countries and 8 cropping systems were taken, and 192 residues of synthetic pesticides were analyzed. Pesticide residues were found in 97% of the samples, and 88% of the samples contained mixtures of at least 2 substances. A maximum of 21 substances were found in conventionally managed fields, and a maximum of 12 were found in organically managed fields. The number and concentration of pesticide residues varied significantly between conventional and organic fields in 70 and 50% of the case study sites, respectively. Application records were available for a selected number of fields (n = 82), and these records were compared to the detected substances. Residues from 52% of the applied pesticides were detected in the soils. Only 21% of the pesticide residues detected in the soil samples were applied during the 2021 growing season. From the application data, predicted environmental concentrations of residues in soil were calculated and compared to the measured concentrations. These estimates turned out not to be accurate. The results of this study show that most European agricultural soils contain mixtures of pesticide residues and that current calculation methods may not reliably estimate their presence.

Utilidad del boletín estadístico de defunción para la identificación de muertes extrahospitalarias en un registro poblacional de infartos agudos de miocardio / Usefulness of the Statistical Bulletin of Deaths to Identify Extrahospital Deaths in the Context of a Myocardial Infarction Population Registry

Introducción y objetivos. Se estudió la utilidad del boletín estadístico de defunción (BED) para la identificación de muertes extrahospitalarias por isquemia coronaria aguda y la estrategia en la selección de causas de defunción aparecidas en el BED más eficiente para dicha identificación. Métodos. Se seleccionaron aquellos BED correspondientes a defunciones extrahospitalarias que incluyesen alguna causa de muerte indicativa de que ésta pudo ser debida a isquemia cardíaca. Para estudiar la utilidad del BED se calculó la sensibilidad y el valor predictivo de la isquemia cardíaca. Para determinar la estrategia más eficiente en la selección de causas de muerte se compararon 2 estrategias: la primera, utilizando la causa básica de defunción, y la segunda, teniendo en cuenta todos los procesos patológicos mencionados en el BED. Resultados. De los 395 BED seleccionados, 161 fueron clasificados como infartos agudos de miocardio. En aquellos BED en los que figuraba la isquemia cardíaca como causa básica de muerte se obtuvo una sensibilidad de 82,6 por ciento (IC del 95 por ciento: 75,9-88,1) y un valor predictivo de 72,7 por ciento (IC del 95 por ciento: 65,6-79). La estrategia en la selección de BED más eficiente fue la de investigar aquellos en los que aparecía mencionada la isquemia cardíaca y los BED cuya causa básica de muerte fue: diabetes mellitus, hipertensión arterial esencial, enfermedad cardíaca hipertensiva, disritmia cardíaca o insuficiencia cardíaca. Conclusiones. La información que aportan los BED para las muertes extrahospitalarias por isquemia coronaria resulta fiable. Se propone una estrategia sensible y eficiente en la selección de BED para la detección de casos (AU)