Dietary risk assessment of pesticide residues on Tremella fuciformis Berk (snow fungus) from Fujian Province of China

Pesticide residues in vegetables from Gansu province, China and risk assessment by Monte Carlo simulation

To assess the dietary exposure risks of pesticide residues in vegetables for the general population, the presence of 39 pesticides was determined in 70 samples, of which 13 were detected. The most frequently detected pesticide was bifenthrin, with a detection rate of 35.7%, mainly found in gingers, followed by isoprocarb and acephate (11.4%) and dimethoate (8.6%). In 17.1% of the samples two or more pesticide residues were found. Acute, chronic and chronic cumulative dietary exposure risk was assessed. Chronic exposure risks were determined by Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). Estimated chronic exposure to carbofuran, omethoate, disulfoton and dimethoate of approximately 49%, 52%, 40% and 3%, respectively, were at non-carcinogenic human risk. Acute exposure risk to acephate was considered to be of concern due to the high acute hazard quotient (aHQ).

Residue Behaviors and Degradation Dynamics of Insecticides Commonly Applied to Agrocybe aegerita Mushrooms from Field to Product Processing and Corresponding Risk Assessments

Residual pesticides in Agrocybe aegerita mushroom have emerged as a significant concern and bring much uncertainty due to processing procedures. In this study, a modified QuEChERS sample preparation procedure and UPLC-MS/MS were used to analyze the residual levels of four commonly used pesticides in A. aegerita from field to product processing. The field results showed that dissipation of these targeted chemicals was consistent with the first-order kinetics, and the half-life time ranged from 20.4 h to 47.6 h. The terminal residues of the four pesticides at harvest time ranged from 9.81 to 4412.56 μg/kg in raw mushroom. The processing factors (PFs) of clothianidin, diflubenzuron, chlorbenzuron, and pyridaben ranged from 0.119 to 0.808 for the drying process and from 0.191 to 1 for the washing process. By integrating the data from the field trials, the PFs, and the consumption survey, the chronic dietary risks of the target chemicals via A. aegerita intake ranged from 2.41 × 10-5 to 5.69 × 10-2 for children and from 6.34 × 10-6 to 1.88 × 10-2 for adults, which are considerably below the threshold of 1, indicating no unacceptable risk to consumers in the Fujian province of China. This research offers foundational data for appropriate use and the maximum residue limit (MRL) establishment for these four insecticides in A. aegerita.

Spatial distribution and ecological-health risks associated with herbicides in soils and crop kernels of the black soil region in China

Herbicides are vital inputs for food production; however, their associated risks and hazards are pressing concerns. In black soil, the cumulative toxic effects of compound herbicides and potential risks to humans are not yet fully understood. Thus, this study conducted a comprehensive investigation to assess herbicide residue characteristics and the associated ecological health risks in representative black soil regions where major food crops (maize, soybean, and rice) are cultivated. Findings revealed that the soil harbored a collective presence of 29 herbicides, exhibiting total concentrations ranging from 111.92 to 996.14 μg/kg dry weight (dw). This can be attributed to the extensive use of herbicides over the years and their long half-lives, which results in the accumulation of multiple herbicide residues in the soil. Similarly, the total herbicide levels in maize, soybean, and rice kernels were 1173-61,564, 1721-9342, and 3775-8094 ng/kg dw, respectively. Multiple herbicide residues at all monitored sites were attributed to continuous crop barriers in soybean fields and the adoption of soybean and maize crop rotations. Notably, herbicides pose ecological risks in the black soil region, exhibiting high-risk levels of 79 %, 24 %, and 14 % at the sites monitored for oxyfluorfen, clomazone, and butachlor, respectively. Carcinogenic atrazine exhibited low- and medium-risk levels in 34 % and 63 % of soil samples, respectively. These results can serve as a scientific basis for establishing herbicide residue thresholds in agricultural soils within black soil areas and for implementing effective control measures to prevent herbicide contamination in agricultural ecosystems.

Multi-residue monitoring and dietary risk assessment of 17 pesticides and 3 related metabolites in rice and rice flour from markets in China

Pesticide residues in rice have attracted widespread public attention in recent years. This research aimed to monitor the residues of 17 pesticides and their 3 metabolites in 120 samples of rice and rice flour collected from markets in China using the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe) pretreatment method combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The monitoring results showed that isoprothiolane, tricyclazole, fenoxanil, and tebuconazole were detected in the rice samples, with detection frequencies of 33.3%, 17.5%, 8.3%, and 2.5%, and concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 0.1 mg/kg (median = 0.04), 0.01 to 0.17 mg/kg (median = 0.14), 0.04 to 0.06 mg/kg (median = 0.05), and 0.01 to 0.02 mg/kg (median = 0.01), respectively. The residues of these four pesticides were all below their corresponding maximum residue levels (MRLs) set by China. Additionally, isoprothiolane, tricyclazole, fenoxanil, and tebuconazole were detected in rice flour samples, with detection frequencies of 74.2%, 55.0%, 5.0%, and 2.5%, and concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 mg/kg (median = 0.04), 0.01 to 0.04 mg/kg (median = 0.02), 0.01 to 0.06 mg/kg (median = 0.03), and 0.02 to 0.04 mg/kg (median = 0.03), respectively. Furthermore, the chronic dietary intake risk (HQc), the acute dietary intake risk (HQa), and cumulative dietary risk (HI) for all the detected pesticides were evaluated and found well below 100%, indicating that the dietary intake risks would not pose potential health risks.

Pesticide residues in agricultural end-products and risk assessment for consumers in North China

This study investigated pesticide residues in market-sold vegetables and fruits in Hebei Province, China, over 5 years (2018-2022). A modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) method was applied to gas chromatography with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS). The analytical methods were validated with respect to matrix effect (ME), recovery rate (78.9~105.5%), limit of quantitation (LOQ, 2.93~9.73 μg/kg), and linear correlation coefficient (0.9982~0.9997). Residues of 10 pesticides in 12 categories of vegetable and fruit were detected. 31.9% of the samples were detected pesticide residues; 15.5% of samples were detected multi-component pesticide residues. Twenty-seven positive detections of pesticide residues exceeded the corresponding maximum residue limit (MRL), accounting for 2.33%. The most types of pesticide residues were detected in cherry, with the number of 7. Procymidone was the most detected pesticide, and it was detected in 8 categories of samples. The hazard index (HI) of omethoate was the highest and the procymidone was the lowest. The HI of all the vegetables and fruits were less than 100%. The effects of pesticide residues are within an acceptable range for human. Adequate attention and further monitoring are still needed.

Pesticide residues in fresh and processed edible mushrooms from Czech markets

The occurrence of pesticide residues, their metabolites and degradation products in 49 edible mushrooms (fresh, dried, canned and frozen) was investigated. Using QuEChERS extraction, followed by liquid and gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, the samples collected from Czech markets were tested for 427 analytes. A total of 21 pesticide residues, their metabolites and pesticide synergists were found in quantifiable concentrations. The most frequently detected pesticide residues included prochloraz and its metabolites, metrafenone and carbendazim. Two mushroom samples were found to be in violation of the maximum residue level. In addition, the fate of 13 pesticides during the processing of fresh mushrooms was investigated. The processing factors calculated from the data ranged from 6.0 to 12.3 for drying and from 0.3 to 1.3 for deep-freezing. The results showed that most of the pesticide residues tested were stable under the conditions of mushroom processing.

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.

Multiresidue analysis and dietary risk assessment of pesticides in eight minor vegetables from Guizhou, China

Several minor vegetables are widely employed as hot pot dishes and condiments in Southwest China. To gain insight into pesticide exposure risk via the intake of minor vegetables, vegetable samples (400) obtained from different farms in Guizhou were subjected to multiresidue analyses. Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were developed to detect and quantify 97 pesticide residues simultaneously in samples using modified QuEChERS methods. The results showed that no pesticides were detected in 248 samples. Pesticides of different levels were detected in 152 samples, of which 69 samples exhibited residue concentrations exceeding maximum residue limit of European Union. The acute and chronic dietary exposure risk of 15 pesticides in eight minor vegetables were accepted. The risk ranking result showed the most samples contained low-risk pesticides. The results will provide a reference for designing future pesticide supervision programs and risk management programs.

Occurrence of pesticides in white tea and a corresponding risk exposure assessment for the different residents in Fujian, China

White tea has been of increasing public interest worldwide owing to its health benefits. Based on 2 years of surveillance, the long-term and cumulative chronic exposure risks of pesticide residues through white tea drinking were assessed for different subpopulations in Fujian, China. Twenty-five different pesticides were found, and 74.8% of samples contained at least one pesticide residue. The most frequently detected pesticide was bifenthrin with detection rates of 61.6%. Risk assessment was performed using both the deterministic approach and semiprobabilistic model under the best-case and the worst-case scenarios. The results demonstrated that the dietary risks were extremely low for six different subpopulations in which the risks for adults over the age of 41 were relatively higher. The risk ranking scheme indicated that isocarbophos and triazophos were considered to be of medium risk. The different use suggestions for the 25 positive pesticides are proposed to further minimize the exposure risk to consumer health. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Tea is the second most popular nonalcoholic beverage throughout the world. Pesticides are used to improve the yield of tea. Pesticide residues in tea could be one of the exposure pathways for consumers. Monitoring residual levels and assessing the health risk assessment in tea are thus in an urge.

Dietary Risk Assessment and Ranking of Multipesticides in Dendrobium officinale

The presence of pesticide residues in Dendrobium officinale (D. officinale), a commonly used herbal medicine, has attracted much attention in recent years. Therefore, this study presents the levels of 141 pesticide residues in forty D. officinale samples, which were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). And we used a deterministic estimate model to assess chronic and acute dietary exposure risk, as well as the cumulative risks for adults, children, and specific groups of consumers. Furthermore, the residual risk of individual pesticides was sorted by adapting the matrix-ranking scheme. In 92.5% of the samples, 43 pesticides were detected, of which difenoconazole had the highest detection frequency. Multiple residues were detected in 85.0% of the samples, and one sample contained even up to 17 pesticides. The chronic hazard quotient (HQc) and the acute hazard quotient (HQa) were far below 100%, and both cumulative chronic and acute hazard indices (HI) did not exceed 100%. The risk scoring scheme showed that four pesticides were considered to pose a comparatively potential high risk, including difenoconazole, carbofuran, fipronil, and emamectin benzoate. The results indicated that the occurrence of pesticide residues in D. officinale could not pose a serious health problem to the public.