PASSIVE DOSIMETRY: COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN TWO EVALUATION METHODS OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES

The present study aims to compare the passive dosimetry sampling and census methods for the evaluation of pesticide exposure. The studies were carried out in the city of Petrolina - PE, in the São Francisco River Valley, under three working conditions: weeds, grape and acerola cultivation with the use of a hand-held sprayer in the Brazilian summer. For data analysis, descriptive statistical parameters and Student's T-test were used to compare the means of paired samples. Both methods evaluated the simulated manual application of pesticides. Given the results, it was concluded that there was a high discrepancy between exposure assessments in all treatments, with the sample method showing overestimated values, with differences greater than 200% and that the census method showed more reliable and accurate results with greater efficiency.