UFMT Sinop researches effects of pesticides on pregnancy

Entitled “Strategic Health Infrastructure in the Mato Grosso Amazon: pesticides and maternal-fetal risk”, the project was included in a notice aimed at expanding scientific infrastructure in the Legal Amazon. The objective is to strengthen UFMT's research capacity and expand the production of knowledge about the effects of exposure to pesticides on populations living in areas of intense agricultural activity.

According to the research coordinator, the study aims to qualify the toxicological risk assessment and expand the scientific basis to support public health decisions, especially in regions where the use of agricultural pesticides is more intense.

The resources obtained will be used mainly for the acquisition of high-cost equipment, which will allow for pharmacokinetic, morphophysiological, toxicological, immunological, molecular and cellular analyses. The project also provides grants for the training and retention of researchers, in addition to the acquisition of materials necessary for the development of activities.

With this structure, Campus Sinop intends to consolidate a multi-user laboratory open to the participation of undergraduate and postgraduate students, teachers, administrative technicians and external collaborators, expanding the integration between teaching, research and innovation.

The activities will be carried out mainly in the UFMT laboratories in Sinop, with the participation of researchers from the Araguaia Campus, in Barra do Garças. The choice of the Mato Grosso Amazon as a study area considers both the region's agricultural profile and the need to expand scientific infrastructure within the Legal Amazon.

The research will investigate the association between exposure to pesticides during critical stages of development and the risk of chronic diseases throughout life. Although there is little data on environmental contamination by these compounds in the municipalities involved, the team seeks to fill this gap and contribute to the planning of public policies in health and sustainable production.

Among the main aspects analyzed will be metabolic changes resulting from exposure to pesticides and the presence of compounds classified as endocrine disruptors in placental tissues. The objective is to understand the relationship between this exposure and possible health risks for the mother-child binomial.

The project will be conducted on two fronts. The first will use experimental models subjected to exposure to low doses of herbicides, such as glyphosate. The second will involve analysis of human placenta samples, in which toxicological, immunological, biochemical, morphophysiological and molecular evaluations will be carried out.

The expectation is that the first results will be obtained within 36 months after the release of resources, the period necessary for the implementation and complete functioning of the laboratory infrastructure.

In addition to scientific production, the study may contribute to future regulatory assessments on the use of pesticides. If metabolic changes resulting from exposure to doses currently considered safe are identified, or the presence of these compounds in placental tissues is detected, the results may support new risk analyzes and improve parameters used by regulatory bodies.

With an interdisciplinary team, the project strengthens the integration between undergraduate and postgraduate studies, expands training opportunities for students and researchers and reinforces the role of UFMT in the production of knowledge focused on the challenges of public health, sustainability and regional development.