Analysis of multiple pesticide residues in market samples of okra and associated dietary risk assessment for consumers

Abstract

European Union Reference Laboratory method for Fruits and Vegetable (EURL-FV-2010-M1) for the quanti cation of pesticide residues was veri ed for the determination of multiple pesticides residues in okra. The targeted pesticides were extracted using acetonitrile with citrate buffer salts followed by cleanup with primary secondary amine (PSA) and analyzed on LC-MS/MS. The recoveries for all the targeted pesticides were within an acceptable range of 70.1 -116.6% and precision in terms of RSD was 0.3 -18.1%, respectively. The limit of quanti cation ranged from 0.002 mg/kg for carbofuran to 0.5 mg/kg for αcypermethrin. The status of pesticide residues in okra (n= 21) available to consumers in the main markets of Pakistan has been determined by using this veri ed method. Sixty-two percent of the tested samples were contaminated out of which three samples were non-compliant with European Union Maximum residue limits (EU-MRL). The pesticides violating the EU-MRL were bifenthrin, thiamethoxam, and triazophos. For all the detected pesticides, estimated daily intake (EDI) ranged between 7.39×10 −6 and 1.78×10 −4 mg/kg of body weight while the values of Health Index (HI) uctuated between 8.9×10 −5 and 1.8×10 −2 .Although, residues of some pesticides were reported to be non-compliant with EU-MRLs, yet the risk posed by these pesticides to human health was insigni cant.

Pesticides in vegetable production in Bangladesh: A systemic review of contamination levels and associated health risks in the last decade

“…The problems are not limited to Bangladesh, and it is a pressing issue on a global scale. It has been reported in Pakistan, India, and China that pesticides are used indiscriminately in vegetable production and cause many health problems to consumers [103] , [12] , [74] .…”

The Influence of Carbofuran on Purkinje cells death in the fetal cerebellum of mice (Mus Musculus)

“…Carbofuran residues have been detected in crops like potatoes, corn, sunflowers, cotton, sugarcane, cloves, pepper, and grapes because these crops are often treated with pesticides by farmers to protect them from pest infestations [4]. Carbofuran has maximum residue limits (MRLs) allowed in food ranging from 0.05 to 0.5 mg/Kg body weight, with MRLs of 0.05 mg/Kg body weight for livestock products like meat and fat, 0.2 mg/Kg body weight for rice, and 0.5 mg/Kg body weight for potatoes [5].…”

Bifenthrin Diminishes Male Fertility Potential by Inducing Protein Defects in Mouse Sperm

“…In the United States, the annual usage of bifenthrin has been shown to exhibit a rising trend, with the estimated agricultural use in 2018 being approximately 1.5 million pounds [12]. However, this widespread use has resulted in nontarget Toxics 2024, 12, 53 2 of 17 organisms being unintentionally exposed to bifenthrin through various routes, including soil, groundwater, and daily intake [13,14], raising concerns regarding environmental contamination and global public health. Bifenthrin has also been detected in human urine samples from Poland [15] and breast milk samples from Brazil, Colombia, and Spain [16].…”