Research Partnership with Developing Countries
A Programme funded by Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Life Cycle Human Exposure and Risk Assessment of Pesticide Application on Agricultural Products in Colombia

Although the human health effects of pesticides have decreased significantly in industrialized countries, misuse of pesticides in developing countries is still problematic. Chronic health problems and environmental impacts have not been well investigated and are likely to be significant. Possible factors contributing to these effects include the application of old products with high persistence and toxicity and missing or insufficient protection of workers during pesticide application and use. Because a significant portion of the crops imported into Switzerland come from developing countries, responsible consumers and authorities in the exporting and importing countries are interested in understanding and ultimately mitigating the life-cycle environmental and health impacts of these products. In this study we intend to examine the various exposure pathways of pesticide application, over the whole life cycle of a variety of agricultural products grown in Colombia. Colombia was chosen as a partner country because a large variety of crops is grown there on various altitude levels. This allows for a broad study which is indicative also for other countries in the region. In particular, we intend to look at bananas, coffee, flowers, potatoes and sugar cane. These crops cover a wide range of uses, from food to decoration to biofuels. They can be consumed locally, like potatoes, or exported in large quantities to industrialized countries, such as coffee, bananas, and flowers. With regard to the latter products, the importing country imports a "virtual burden" in terms of human exposure in the country of origin. Thus, it is one of the goals of this project to account for indirect exposure, such as workers' exposure during pesticide application or population exposure through groundwater contamination, in addition to direct consumer exposure by ingestion of the pesticide-treated crops or by dermal contact. In order to quantify exposure, thorough experimental analysis will be conducted at selected field sites and existing exposure models will be adapted and applied to Colombian conditions. Human intake of pesticides by inhalation, ingestion and dermal exposure will be quantified throughout the life cycle of each agricultural product, thus allowing for the identification of "hot spots" and for identifying measures to mitigate exposure. In addition to practical decision support concerning the most relevant sources and exposure pathways and their mitigation, this study will contribute to capacity building in Colombia. All research will be conducted in close collaboration between the complementary Colombian and Swiss partners, and the results are intended to be disseminated widely among various stakeholder groups, including authorities and producers in the "South" as well as retailers and consumers in the "North". This project will be a model case for other countries in South and Central America with similar agricultural production schemes.

Figure1: Pesticide application on potato field in Colombia

Figure2: Cultivation of potatoes in the region of Tunja, Colombia

Contact Addresses:
Swiss Coordinator
Prof. Stefanie Hellweg
Ecological Systems Design
ETH Zürich
CH - 8093 Zürich
Tel: +41 44 633 43 37
Fax: +41 44 633 10 61
Email: hellweg@ifu.baug.ethz.ch

Main Foreign partner
Prof. Jairo A. Guerrero Dallos
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Bogotá D.C. - Colombia
Tel: +57-1-3165000 Ext. 14412
Fax: +57-1-3165220
Email : jaguerreod@unal.edu.co