Impacts of tobacco cultivation on human health and water pollution in Chapadão do Lageado, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v66i.95456

Keywords:

tobacco, pesticides, green leaf disease, toxicity symptoms

Abstract

Brazil is the second largest tobacco producer. We investigated the pesticides used by tobacco farmers, their occurrence in the drinking water resources of Chapadão do Lageado (Santa Catarina, Brazil), and the relationship between tobacco cultivation and farmers' health. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was used to quantify pesticide residues in water samples from rivers and wells. Both the handling of pesticides and the handling of the tobacco plant have negative consequences, even if preventive measures are taken. Of the 107 tobacco farmers surveyed, 91.6% reported symptoms related to green leaf disease and 19.6% reported symptoms related to pesticide handling. About 40% of the well water samples contained residues of imidacloprid, sulfentrazone, thiamethoxam and iprodione. In the river water samples, more than 70% had residues of the same pesticides detected in the well water, plus clomazone. Traditional tobacco cultivation and post-harvest management endanger human and environmental health. The harmful effects of exposure to tobacco leaves compound health problems. In areas where tobacco cultivation is a major industry, critical thinking is needed on policies, approaches and tools to address these complex and alarming public health risk situations.

Author Biographies

Giane Carla Kopper Müller, Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB), Blumenau, Santa Catarina

 Pós-graduação em engenharia Ambiental.  Atua na Rizoma Equipamentos e Soluções e no campo educacional como professora de graduação, pós-graduação e formação continuada, nas áreas de educação e meio ambiente. 

Maria Pilar Serbent, Regional University of Blumenau (FURB), Blumenau, SC; Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Ibirama, SC; National Technological University (CITeQ-UTN-CONICET), Córdoba, Province of Córdoba, Argentina

Doutora em Engenharia Ambiental pela Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB). Mestre em Engenharia Ambiental pela Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). Bióloga e Professora de Ciências Biológicas pela Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC) - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Pesquisadora do Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Professora permanente do Programa de Posgraduação em Ciências Ambientais na Universidade Estadual de Santa Catarina (UDESC). 

Thiago Caique Alves, Regional University of Blumenau (FURB), Blumenau, SC

Bacharel em Química pela Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Mestre em Engenharia Ambiental e Doutor em Engenharia Ambiental pela mesma instituição na modalidade sanduíche, realizando parte da pesquisa no Instituto Catalão de Pesquisa em Água (ICRA). Tem experiência com análises Físico-Químicas Clássicas, Absorção Atômica, Cromatografia Gasosa, Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência, Cromatografia Iônica e Espectrofotometria de Infra-vermelho assim como espectrometria de massas e diversas técnicas de preparo e abertura de amostra. Atua na área de monitoramento ambiental, na mobilidade de desreguladores endócrinos, assim como atenuação e tratamento de micropoluentes orgânicos em águas residuárias e potável. 

Lorena Benathar Ballod Tavares, Regional University of Blumenau (FURB), Blumenau, SC

Doutorado em Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêutica pela Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil(1998)
Professor aposentado PCV do PPGEA/FURB da Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau.

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2025-07-04

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Müller, G. C. K., Serbent, M. P., Alves, T. C., & Tavares, L. B. B. (2025). Impacts of tobacco cultivation on human health and water pollution in Chapadão do Lageado, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Desenvolvimento E Meio Ambiente, 66, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v66i.95456

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Vol. 66 (2025)

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Copyright (c) 2025 GIANE CARLA KOPPER MÜLLER, Maria Pilar Serbent, Thiago Caique Alves, Lorena Benathar Ballod Tavares

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