Virginia Aparicio faces exoneration after pesticide study

Virginia Aparicio pesticide exposure glyphosate INTA scientific freedom

Researcher Virginia Aparicio, an agronomist with the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) and CONICET, is facing an administrative summary that could lead to her permanent exoneration from public service. The disciplinary action follows her participation in the SPRINT project, an international study funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 program.

The SPRINT study, which included researchers from ten European countries, investigated the presence of pesticides in humans, animals, and the environment. Findings from the Argentine portion of the study, which analyzed 73 volunteers in Buenos Aires province, revealed that 100% of the participants had glyphosate in their systems. Some reports indicate that up to 86% of the general Argentine population may carry traces of the herbicide.

Controversy arose when INTA reportedly prohibited the local dissemination of these results in 2023 and subsequently withdrew Argentina from the study. Aparicio and various human rights organizations, including the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights (APDH), have expressed concern that the administrative proceedings represent an attempt to silence scientific research that impacts the agribusiness sector. The study also noted that pesticide concentrations in Argentine water and soil samples were higher than the averages recorded in European countries.

Entities

Asamblea Permanente por los Derechos Humanos · CONICET · European Union · INTA · SPRINT Project · Virginia Aparicio

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) ordered the interruption of the study's local dissemination in 2023. baraderoteinforma.com.ar · www.apdh-argentina.org.ar · www.0223.com.ar
[● 4 SOURCES] The study analyzed samples from 73 volunteers in rural and urban areas of Buenos Aires province. bairesparatodos.com.ar · baraderoteinforma.com.ar · www.apdh-argentina.org.ar · www.0223.com.ar
[DISPUTED] Approximately 86% of Argentines have glyphosate in their bodies. sanluis24.com.ar · www.telesurtv.net
[● 7 SOURCES] INTA has opened an administrative summary against researcher Virginia Aparicio that could lead to her exoneration. bairesparatodos.com.ar · baraderoteinforma.com.ar · www.agenciacomunas.com.ar · www.apdh-argentina.org.ar · sanluis24.com.ar · +2 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] The research findings were presented in Belgium. baraderoteinforma.com.ar
[● 2 SOURCES] Argentina showed higher concentrations of pesticides in water and soil samples than the European average. baraderoteinforma.com.ar · www.apdh-argentina.org.ar
[● 5 SOURCES] The SPRINT project was funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 program. bairesparatodos.com.ar · puntonueve.com.ar · www.agenciacomunas.com.ar · www.apdh-argentina.org.ar · huelladelsur.ar
[DISPUTED] The SPRINT study detected glyphosate in 100% of the Argentine participants analyzed. baraderoteinforma.com.ar · www.apdh-argentina.org.ar · sanluis24.com.ar