Original Articles
Maria da ConceiÃÂÃ
Abstract
Metals are widely present in the world due to natural and/or anthropic processes. They are used in several activities, mainly agricultural, generating concerns about their impact on health. To understand the health-disease processes of the population of this study, it was necessary to know the epidemiological profile and the distribution and magnitude of the health problems. The objective of this study was to correlate the presence of metals in agricultural soils with the epidemiological profile of the population, and to investigate the possible trace element contamination of the agricultural soils of the Natuba settlement, located in the city of Vitoria de Santo Antao, state of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. One hundred and two farmers participated and a specific collection instrument was applied to obtain exposure and risk results for chronic diseases. The chemical analysis of the soils was carried out by means of the Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence technique – EDXRF; the following trace elements were detected: Mn> Sr> Rb> Pb> La> Br. Besides these trace elements, and through the same technique, another four macroelements were analyzed: Si> Fe> Ca> Ti. Chronic diseases should be evaluated as a world health problem, requiring a preventive approach in association with these metals, so as to reduce pesticide dependence in agriculture, with proper monitoring of anthropogenic polluting sources.