Characteristics and Residual Health Risk of Organochlorine Pesticides in Fresh Vegetables in the Suburb of Changchun, Northeast China

Review of scientific literature on available methods of assessing organochlorine pesticides in the environment

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) widely used in agriculture and industry, causing serious health and ecological consequences upon exposure. This review offers a thorough overview of OCPs analysis emphasizing the necessity of ongoing work to enhance the identification and monitoring of these POPs in environmental and human samples. The benefits and drawbacks of the various OCPs analysis techniques including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) are discussed. Challenges associated with validation and optimization criteria, including accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantitation (LOQ), must be met for a method to be regarded as accurate and reliable. Suitable quality control measures, such as method blanks and procedural blanks, are emphasized. The LOD and LOQ are critical quality control measure for efficient quantification of these compounds, and researchers have explored various techniques for their calculation. Matrix interference, solubility, volatility, and partition coefficient influence OCPs occurrences and are discussed in this review. Validation experiments, as stated by European Commission in document SANTE/11813/2017, showed that the acceptance criteria for method validation of OCP analytes include ≤20 % for high precision, and 70-120 % for recovery. This may ultimately be vital for determining the human health risk effects of exposure to OCP and for formulating sensible environmental and public health regulations.

Regional Variations in Pesticide Residue Detection Rates and Concentrations in Saudi Arabian Crops

There is a scarcity of evidence on the levels of pesticide residues among common crops grown in the different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The present study aims to fill this gap. We collected samples across four regions of KSA (N = 41 from the west, N = 146 from the central, N = 131 from the north and N = 74 samples from the east). Food samples were extracted and cleaned using the modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) methodology. Tandem mass (LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) was used to detect pesticide residues. The highest pesticide residue detection rate was 89.7% in the central region, followed by 88.5% in the north, 83.8% in the east and 70.7% in the western region (p = 0.01). Pesticide residue detection rates were significantly higher in fruits than vegetables (p = 0.02). Cypermethrin detection was most common overall, particularly in the Western region (p = 0.002), and pyraclostrobin concentration was the highest among all residues investigated. In conclusion, high detection rates of moderately hazardous pesticide residues were found in various crops across regions in KSA. Routine biomonitoring programs across KSA regions should be implemented, as well as public health campaigns to decrease pesticide residue consumption and exposure.

Microbial Detoxification of Residual Pesticides in Fermented Foods: Current Status and Prospects

The treatment of agricultural areas with pesticides is an indispensable approach to improve crop yields and cannot be avoided in the coming decades. At the same time, significant amounts of pesticides remain in food and their ingestion causes serious damage such as neurological, gastrointestinal, and allergic reactions; cancer; and even death. However, during the fermentation processing of foods, residual amounts of pesticides are significantly reduced thanks to enzymatic degradation by the starter and accompanying microflora. This review concentrates on foods with the highest levels of pesticide residues, such as milk, yogurt, fermented vegetables (pickles, kimchi, and olives), fruit juices, grains, sourdough, and wines. The focus is on the molecular mechanisms of pesticide degradation due to the presence of specific microbial species. They contain a unique genetic pool that confers an appropriate enzymological profile to act as pesticide detoxifiers. The prospects of developing more effective biodetoxification strategies by engaging probiotic lactic acid bacteria are also discussed.