Pesticide residues in foods and water in Qatar and their impact on food exposure risk assessment

Abstract

PurposeThe purposes of this study were to analyze fruits, vegetables, water and soil for organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues and to assess the food exposure of these pesticides in Qatar.Design/methodology/approachPesticides were quantified in dates, leafy vegetables, fruiting vegetables, water and soil samples using a gas chromatography-electron capture detector and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These pesticides were α-benzene hexachloride (BHC), ß-BHC, heptachlor, aldrin, g-chlordane, endosulfan I, α-chlordane, dieldrin, endrin and methoxychlor. Additionally, food exposure risk assessment was performed by estimating daily intakes of OCP.FindingsMost analyzed samples contained at least one OCP residue. Endosulfan was the only pesticide that was not detected. The concentrations of OCP in samples were below the maximum residue level (MRL) except endosulfan. Among all the samples analyzed, ˜18% of those exceeded the MRL with respect to the concentrations of methoxychlor and heptachlor. Only intake of methoxychlor (0.018 mg/day) exceeded the MRL (0.01 mg/day). Dates and fruiting vegetables were likely to pose a higher risk than leafy vegetables because they contained heptachlor, endrin and methoxychlor. Leafy vegetables might pose a greater risk than dates and fruiting vegetables because of the presence of β-BHC and dieldrin.Originality/valueEight out of ten OCPs that were measured were found to be below the MRL. These pesticides should be eliminated from the food supply based on the Qatar National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention in 2010. Based on the intake risk assessment, overall, the intake of OCP may not pose a major risk to human health as the concentrations of OCP were below MRL, except methoxychlor. Water and soil are the potential sources of contamination of OCP in foods that were tested in Qatar. To limit the health risks associated with OCPs, there is a need for close monitoring of food and agricultural practices and the types of pesticides imported into Qatar.

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

“…A 2011 study in Accra metropolis, Ghana, revealed that 51% of the fruits and vegetables analyzed gave results of traces of pesticide residues. In neighboring Qatar, the findings were similar to the present study in that at least one OCP residue was found in the fruits and vegetables investigated [ 22 ]. The variations in the pesticide detection rates in other developing countries may be partially explained by the differences in the type of compounds included in the investigation, as well as the fruits and vegetables included in the sample analysis, as some of these crops are geographic- and season-sensitive.…”

Health Risk Assessment of Pyrethroid Pesticide Residues in Produces and Soils in a Farmland From Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

“…Based on the data we have from Table 1, the pyrethroid residue levels in tubers in this exceed the ADI and from table 2, the bioaccumulation factor of cyfluthrin and alpha cypermethrin in cassava was shown to be higher than in yam. Elobeid et al, 2021 in a similar research conducted on pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables found over 18% of all 49 samples analysed to have exceeded safe limits and maximum residue levels. Okeagu et al, 2022, also did a study on Amietophrynus regularis(common toad) and reported varying concentrations of pesticides in their liver and intestines.…”

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

“…The LODs are measures of the lowest level of a pesticide that can be detected with acceptable precision and accuracy under specified test conditions [ 253 ]. Researchers have defined LODs in various ways, such as the logarithm of odds estimated on the basis of signal-to-noise ratio of 3 (3(S/N)) [ 205 ], the lowest concentration that produced a chromatographic peak that was three times larger than the background noise [ 48 ], higher value between the IDL and LOQ of blank samples [ 254 ], lowest addition level for the recovery analysis [ 85 ], amount of analytes per sample corresponding to the lowest calibration [ 255 , 256 ], and the concentration of analytes in a sample that yielded peak S/N [ 19 , 257 ].…”