title: Burnt sugarcane harvesting: particulate matter exposure and the effects on lung function, oxidative stress, and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene.
abstract: Non-mechanised sugarcane harvesting preceded by burning exposes workers and the people of neighbouring towns to high concentrations of pollutants. This study was aimed to evaluate the respiratory symptoms, lung function and oxidative stress markers in sugarcane workers and the residents of Mendonça, an agricultural town in Brazil, during the non-harvesting and harvesting periods and to assess the population and individual exposures to fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)). Sugarcane workers and healthy volunteers were evaluated with two respiratory symptom questionnaires, spirometry, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels, and the measurement of antioxidant enzymes and plasma malonaldehyde during the non-harvesting and harvesting periods. The environmental assessment was determined from PM(2.5) concentration. PM(2.5) level increased from 8 μg/m³ during the non-harvesting period to 23.5 μg/m³ in the town and 61 μg/m³ on the plantations during the harvesting period. Wheezing, coughing, sneezing, and breathlessness increased significantly in both groups during the harvesting period, but more markedly in workers. A decrease in lung function and antioxidant enzyme activity was observed in both populations during harvesting; this decrease was greater among the sugarcane workers. The urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels only increased in the sugarcane workers during the harvesting period. The malonaldehyde levels were elevated in both groups, with a higher increase observed in the workers. This research demonstrates the exposure of sugarcane workers and the inhabitants of a neighbouring town to high PM(2.5) concentrations during the sugarcane harvest period. This exposure was higher among the sugarcane workers, as illustrated by both higher PM(2.5) concentrations in the sugarcane fields and higher urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in the volunteers in this group. The higher incidence of respiratory symptoms, greater decrease in lung function and more marked elevation of oxidative stress markers among the sugarcane workers during the harvest confirms the greater effect magnitude in this population and a dose-dependent relationship between pollution and the observed effects.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Division, Heart Institute (Incor), Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. gustavo.prado@incor.usp.br
authors.forename: Gustavo Faibischew
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Dirce Maria Trevisan
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zanetta
authors.forename: Marcos Abdo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Arbex
authors.forename: Alfésio Luís
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: Luiz Alberto Amador
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Mary Rosa Rodrigues
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Marchi
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: de Melo Loureiro
authors.forename: Tânia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marcourakis
authors.forename: Lucy Elaine
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Sugauara
authors.forename: Gilka Jorge Fígaro
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Gattás
authors.forename: Fernanda Toledo
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: João Marcos
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Salge
authors.forename: Mário
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terra-Filho
authors.forename: Ubiratan
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: de Paula Santos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000652:urine*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000503:physiopathology; D031786:Saccharum; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004798:Enzymes; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011721:Pyrenes; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C033146:1-hydroxypyrene