Uso intensivo de agrotóxicos no Brasil: análise dos impactos ambientais, riscos ocupacionais e contaminação alimentar na perspectiva da saúde pública.

Abstract

This study addresses the intensive use of pesticides in Brazil, focusing on their environmental impacts, occupational risks to rural workers, and food contamination from a public health perspective. Through a literature review, scientific publications, books, and recent institutional reports were analyzed, with emphasis on studies investigating the toxic, persistent, and bioaccumulative effects of these substances. The study highlights that Brazil is the world’s largest consumer of pesticides, which increases human health risks, compromises food safety, and contributes to environmental degradation. Environmental Chemistry is presented as an essential tool to understand the mechanisms of action, dispersion, and degradation of pesticides, supporting mitigation strategies and sustainable alternatives. In addition, the research underscores the weakness of regulatory policies that allow the registration of new products without proper evaluation, reinforcing the need for interdisciplinary approaches that integrate chemistry, toxicology, public health, and agricultural sustainability. The study contributes to reflections on integrated pest management, agroecological practices, and public policies aimed at protecting collective health and the environment.