Agricultores expuestos a compuestos organofosforados en el sitio la Cuca, cantón Arenillas, provincia de El Oro

La Cuca site is located in Arenillas, a canton situated in El Oro province. La Cuca groups together a significant number of farmers who use organophosphates substances in their farming activity. The purpose of the use of organophosphates compounds is to inhibit the acetylcholinesterase which causes problems in the respiratory system, dermis, and the intestinal tract, affecting around 300 farmers of the area. Measuring the levels of cholinesterase erythrocyte in 70 farmers as an indicator of intoxication through the spectrophotometric method is of vital importance to provide an intoxication diagnostic; a descriptive study reported that among 41 men and 4 women, 20 of them which represent the 44,44% of the population were detected with a lower value of cholinesterase than the average. In conclusion, the prolonged inhalation and manipulation of organophosphate substances affect the health.