Detection of pyridaben residue levels in hot pepper fruit and leaves by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: effect of household processes

Acetamiprid and pyridaben poisoning: A case report

Background

The agricultural industry has experienced beneficial outcomes by implementing contemporary synthetic pesticides, specifically, the mixture of acetamiprid and pyridaben. However, concerns regarding public health have arisen due to the increased number of suicides caused by insecticide poisoning. Nevertheless, limited reports of human exposure to these pesticides have reported various adverse clinical effects. In this study, we present the case of an individual who consumed the acetamiprid and pyridaben mixture for suicidal purposes, and subsequently developed central nervous system depression, hyperlactacidemia, and metabolic acid poisoning, which thus required clinical management.

Case report

A 74-year-old woman was transported to our hospital after ingesting a combination of 30 mL of acetamiprid 5 % and pyridaben 5 %. The patient displayed nausea and vomiting symptoms, followed by confusion. An arterial blood gas analysis revealed metabolic acidosis and hyperlactacidemia. The patient was carefully monitored for vital signs and treated with gastric lavage, purgation, and proton pump inhibitors to reduce gastric acid, blood volume, and electrolyte resuscitation. In addition, the patient received 24 h of hemoperfusion (HP) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). As a result of these interventions, the patient had a speedy recovery and was discharged 10 days later.

Conclusion

This case report provided the details of a rare instance of acute poisoning in humans resulting from exposure to newer synthetic pesticides, specifically acetamiprid and pyridaben. The report described the clinical manifestations and effective supportive therapy management. Future clinicians may find the results of this report valuable for identifying clinical symptoms and treating acute poisoning caused by newer synthetic pesticides.

Residue levels and risk assessment of acetamiprid-pyridaben mixtures in cabbage under various open field conditions

Acetamiprid and pyridaben are highly efficient insecticides widely used to protect leafy vegetables against various pests, such as Phyllotreta striolata, but analyses of their residual behaviors applied in mixtures in cabbage fields are primarily lacking. Herein, field trials were performed by spraying 50% acetamiprid-pyridaben wettable powder (50% WP) once at a dose of 150 g of active ingredient per hectare in 12 representative provinces of China under Good Agricultural Practices. The residues of acetamiprid and pyridaben were detected using modified Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, together with an assessment of their dietary risks. The average recoveries of the two insecticides were 84.6-104%, and the relative standard deviations were 0.898-10.1%. The residual concentrations of acetamiprid and pyridaben at the preharvest interval of 7 days were <0.364 and 0.972 mg/kg, respectively, and less than their maximum residue limits in cabbage (0.5 mg/kg for acetamiprid and 2 mg/kg for pyridaben) in China. The chronic and acute risk values of acetamiprid and pyridaben were 0.0787-33.3%, implying acceptable health hazards to Chinese consumers. In conclusion, applying 50% WP in cabbage fields under Good Agricultural Practices is acceptable. These results provide essential data for using mixtures of acetamiprid and pyridaben in cabbage fields.

Reduction in residual cyantraniliprole levels in spinach after various washing and blanching methods

Pesticides are used to protect crops from pests and diseases. However, as many pesticides are toxic to humans, it is necessary to assess methods that can remove pesticide residues from agricultural products before human consumption. Spinach is consumed immediately after a relatively simple washing and heating process in the Republic of Korea. Cyantraniliprole is used as a systemic insecticide during spinach cultivation, which means it might remain in the crop after processing. Consequently, it is important to assess whether residues can be reduced to levels that are harmless to the human body after processing. This study investigated lowering the residual cyantraniliprole levels in spinach after washing and blanching. The amount of cyantraniliprole residue in the spinach samples sprayed with cyantraniliprole during cultivation was analyzed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The time of each washing and blanching method was set at 1, 3, and 5 min. The residual levels of cyantraniliprole decreased by 15.1-54.6% and 60.1-93.5% based on the washing and blanching methods employed. The most effective washing method to lower residual cyantraniliprole levels was steeping with a neutral detergent, resulting in cyantraniliprole reduction by 42.9-54.6%. When spinach was blanched after steeping washing with a neutral detergent, the largest removal rates of 77.9 and 91.2% were observed after 1 and 3 min of blanching, respectively. Blanching for 5 min after steeping and running washing exhibited the highest reduction rate of 93.5%. Therefore, a considerable amount of cyantraniliprole residue in spinach could be removed by washing or blanching. Based on the results of this study, blanching after steeping washing can be implemented as an effective method of lowering pesticide concentrations in spinach and other crops, thereby reducing their potential toxicity to humans upon consumption.

An overview on the green synthesis and removal methods of pyridaben

Pyridaben is an acaricide widely used around the world to control phytophagous mites, white flies, aphids, and thrips. It is highly toxic to nontarget organisms such as predatory mites, bees, and fishes. Therefore, the occurrence and removal of pyridaben in food and the environment are worthy of concern. This mini-review focuses on pyridaben residue levels in crops, aquatic systems, and soils, as well as the green synthesis and removal of pyridaben. During the period of 2010–2022, pyridaben was reported in monitoring studies on fruits, vegetables, herbs, bee products, aquatic systems, and soils. Vegetable and agricultural soil samples exhibited the highest detection rates and residue levels. One-pot synthesis offers a green chemistry and sustainable alternative for the synthesis of pyridaben. Among traditional home treatments, peeling is the most effective way to remove pyridaben from crops. Magnetic solid-phase extraction technology has emerged as a powerful tool for the adsorption and separation of pyridaben. Photocatalytic methods using TiO2 as a catalyst were developed as advanced oxidation processes for the degradation of pyridaben in aqueous solutions. Current gaps in pyridaben removal were proposed to provide future development directions for minimizing the exposure risk of pyridaben residues to human and nontarget organisms.

Determination of 77 Multiclass Pesticides and Their Metabolitesin Capsicum and Tomato Using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS

A quick, sensitive, and reproducible analytical method for the determination of 77 multiclass pesticides and their metabolites in Capsicum and tomato by gas and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was standardized and validated. The limit of detection of 0.19 to 10.91 and limit of quantification of 0.63 to 36.34 µg·kg⁻¹ for Capsicum and 0.10 to 9.55 µg·kg⁻¹ (LOD) and 0.35 to 33.43 µg·kg⁻¹ (LOQ) for tomato. The method involves extraction of sample with acetonitrile, purification by dispersive solid phase extraction using primary secondary amine and graphitized carbon black. The recoveries of all pesticides were in the range of 75 to 110% with a relative standard deviation of less than 20%. Similarly, the method precision was evaluated interms of repeatability (RSDr) and reproducibility (RSD_wR) by spiking of mixed pesticides standards at 100 µg·kg⁻¹ recorded anRSD of less than 20%. The matrix effect was acceptable and no significant variation was observed in both the matrices except for few pesticides. The estimated measurement uncertainty found acceptable for all the pesticides. This method found suitable for analysis of vegetable samples drawn from market and farm gates.

Pyridaben induces mitochondrial dysfunction and leads to latent male reproductive abnormalities

As an organochloride pesticide, pyridaben (PDB) has been used on various plants, including fruiting plants and other crops. Because of emerging concerns regarding exposure to pesticides, the deleterious effects of PDB, including neuronal disease and reproductive abnormalities, have been determined. However, the intracellular mechanisms that contribute to the effects of PDB on the male reproductive system are still unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effects of PDB on the male reproductive organ, focusing on the testes using mouse testicular cells. We demonstrated that PDB suppressed cellular proliferation of mouse Leydig (TM3) and Sertoli (TM4) cells. Additionally, PDB disturbed calcium homeostasis via mitochondrial dysfunction and activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Furthermore, PDB inhibited transcriptional gene expression regarding the cell cycle, as well as steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis, which are the primary functions of TM3 and TM4 cells. Moreover, we verified via western blot analysis that PDB dysregulated the intracellular cell signaling pathways in mitochondrial-associated membranes and the Mapk/Pi3k pathway. Lastly, we confirmed that PDB efficiently suppressed the spheroid formation of TM3 and TM4 cells mimicking an in vivo environment. Collectively, the current results indicate that PDB induces testicular toxicity and male reproductive abnormalities by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress and calcium imbalance.

Removal residues of pesticides in apricot, peach and orange processed and dietary exposure assessment

The effects of the industrial processing are evaluated of the removal of 16 pesticide residues in canned apricots and peaches and in orange juice. A method of multi-residual extraction that uses QuEChERS and liquid chromatography in tandem with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry was used. The method shows good linearity for the 16 pesticides studied (R2 > 0.999); it is accurate and precise (recoveries of 87-115%, relative standard deviation <8.0%). The processing factors are <0.6, indicating that all the processes significantly reduce the residue levels (spinosad, thiacloprid, pyridaben, bupirimate, flusilazole, triflumizole, flonicamid, imidacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, cyproconazole, fludioxinil and cyprodinil, abamectin, chlorpyrifos-methyl, hexythiazox and metalaxyl) initially present in the raw fruits and very significantly during washing/cutting, squeezing and hot pack canning (>55% loss). The risk quotient (EDI/ADI ratio) for canned foods is below 100, indicating that the potential consumer risk for the pesticides studied is practically negligent for human health.

Determination, risk assessment and processing factors for pyridaben in field-incurred kiwifruit samples

Field trials in six agricultural sites were carried out to investigate the dissipation and residue levels of pyridaben in kiwifruit. Each sample was extracted with acetonitrile, purified with octadecylsilane and analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The method had good linearity (R² > 0.99), accuracy (recoveries of 78.53-98.00%) and precision (relative standard deviation of 0.86-6.11%). The dissipation of pyrdaben in kiwifruit followed first-order kinetics with a half-life < 8 d, and terminal residues in kiwifruit were lower than 0.5 mg/kg after 14 d of application. Risk assessment indicated that both chronic and acute dietary intake risk values were far below 100%, suggesting that pyridaben residues in kiwifruit were relatively safe to humans. Moreover, the effects of traditional household processes on kiwifruit were investigated. The processing factors (PFs) indicated that peeling and peeling-juicing processes could remove pyridaben residues from kiwifruit, and the former was more effective than the latter (PF at 0.15 vs. 0.51). Nevertheless, drying kiwifruit with an oven increased the amount of pyridaben (PF at 1.05). These results could provide guidance for the safe and reasonable use of pyridaben in agriculture and may be helpful for the Chinese government to determine maximum residue limit of pyridaben in kiwifruit.

Residue, dissipation, and safety evaluation of etoxazole and pyridaben in Goji berry under open-field conditions in the China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The dissipation and residual levels of etoxazole and pyridaben in Goji berry under open field conditions were determined by using GC-NPD (gas chromatography with nitrogen and phosphorus detector) with modified QuEChERS method. At fortification levels of 0.01, 1, and 5 mg/kg in Goji berry, it was shown that recoveries were ranged from 80.40 to 100.9% with relative standard deviation of the method (RSD) for repeatability ranged from 2.20 to 4.25%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method was 0.01 mg/kg. The dissipation rates of etoxazole and pyridaben were described by using first-order kinetics and its half-life, as they are 7.13 days, 5.77 days, and 5.99 days (etoxazole) and 1.02 day, 0.67 day, 1.02 day (pyridaben). The terminal residues of etoxazole and pyridaben were below the European maximum residue limit (MRL, 0.1 mg/kg) in Goji berry when measured 7 days after the final application, which suggested that the use of these insecticides was safe for humans. This study would help in providing the basic information for developing regulation to guard a safe use of etoxazole and pyridaben in Goji berry and prevent health problem from consumers.

Multiresidue determination of 29 pesticide residues in pepper through a modified QuEChERS method and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

This study describes the development and use of a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) method coupled with gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to determine 29 pesticide residues in green, red and dehydrated red peppers. Pesticides were extracted with acetonitrile (1% acetic acid), partitioned with sodium chloride and purified with primary secondary amino and octadecyl silane in acetone. The QuEChERS extraction conditions were optimized, and the matrix effects that might influence recoveries were evaluated and minimized using matrix-matched calibration curves. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration curves for 29 pesticides showed good linearity in the concentration range of 0.1-10 μg/mL with determination coefficient R(2)  > 0.998. The limits of quantification of the 29 pesticides were 0.006-0.06 mg/kg for green pepper, 0.005-0.039 mg/kg for red pepper and 0.014-0.25 mg/kg for dehydrated red pepper. These values are below the suggested regulatory maximum residue limits. The mean recoveries ranged between 70.1 and 110%, and the relative standard deviations were <13%. The developed method was successfully applied to commercial samples. Some samples were found to contain the 29 pesticides with levels below the legal limits. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.