ENVIRONMENTAL RISK OF HERBICIDES USED IN SOYBEAN CROPS IN MATO GROSSO

Abstract

The intensive use of pesticides in agriculture, especially in Mato Grosso, raises concerns about environmental contamination. To minimize these impacts, evaluating how active ingredients (a.i.) interact with the environment is essential. The Environmental Risk Index (ARI) is a useful tool for quantifying these effects. Therefore, this study aimed to calculate the ARI of the herbicides most used in the state in weed management in the soy. The analysis was conducted based on the active ingredients (a.i.), using data from the Institute of Agricultural Defense of Mato Grosso. The physicochemical properties of the herbicides, essential for the calculations of the ARI, were obtained from three databases: (PPDB, PPD, and IBAMA). The parameters considered in the elaboration of the IRA included soil persistence, leaching, volatility, dose, and toxicological profile of the herbicides. The study pointed out 30 herbicides most used in soybean crops, with clethodin being the first in the ranking, with a total mass of 4,451,629kg of active ingredient (a.i.) sold in the analyzed period. The analysis showed that 20% of the herbicides present high environmental risk, especially trifluralin and acetochlor, due to their high persistence and toxicity to aquatic organisms. On the other hand, 80% have a lower impact, such as clethodim and fluazifop-p-butyl. The most commercialized herbicides were clethodim, glyphosate, and trifluralin. In addition, most had medium to high toxicity, requiring continuous monitoring. These results reinforce the importance of more sustainable agricultural practices to reduce environmental impacts.