Probabilistic public health risks associated with pesticides and heavy metal exposure through consumption of common dried fish in coastal regions of Bangladesh

The chemical contaminants in dried fish are of great food safety concern and an emerging public health issue in Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to assess the public health risk associated with exposure to pesticides (organochlorine and organophosphorus) and heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic) through the consumption of dried fish (Bombay duck, ribbon fish, silver jewfish, shrimp, Chinese promfret) in coastal districts (Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Bhola, Patuakhali, Khulna) of Bangladesh. Dried fish consumption data were collected from 500 adult respondents (100 from each district) using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Pesticide residues were determined using QuEChERS extraction coupled to gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry, and heavy metals were estimated using an atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. The results revealed that the frequency and amount of dried fish consumption was highest for Bombay duck in Cox's Bazar (11.57 g/capita/day) and ribbon fish (12.10 g/capita/day) in Chittagong. The estimated daily intake (EDI, 7.40 × 10^-5 to 1.10 × 10^-4 mg/kg/day) and health risk index (HRI, 0.013 to 0.16) values expressed no health risk from pesticide residues in all the positive samples. For heavy metals, target hazard quotients (THQ) for non-carcinogenic health risk were below 1 (0.001-0.154), indicating no health risk for all samples. However, carcinogenic risk R value indicated a potential health risk for chromium (2.64 × 10^-6 to 4.06 × 10^-6), and carcinogenic R_T value (2.82 × 10^-6 to 5.71 × 10^-6) indicated a potential health risk for all the metals. It is concluded that the risk of exposure to pesticides through the consumption of dried fish is low, while heavy metals pose moderate-to-high health risks to dried fish consumers in the study area. Thus, the study suggests an appropriate risk management policy that controls pesticides and heavy metals in dried fish to ensure safe food for local and global consumers, underpinned by a producers' capacity building and consumers' awareness raising strategy.

Determination of organophosphorus and synthetic pyrethroid pesticide residues and their variability in large size fruit crops

BACKGROUND

Variability of pesticide residues in food item plays a key role for the evaluation of consumer food safety. However, variability factors (VFs) derived from the large size fruit crops are still scarce. Therefore, the present work was aimed to quantify pesticide residues and to estimate VFs in large size fruit crops of mango and guava.

RESULTS

A total of 140 mango and 130 guava samples from different marketplaces in Bangladesh were collected to estimate the variability of pesticide residues (acephate, diazinon, malathion, fenitrothion, chlorpyrifos, quinalphos, dimethoate and cypermethrin) by in-house validated methods based on modified QuEChERS extraction and gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detector (ECD) and flame thermionic detector (FTD). The method was validated at three fortification levels (0.01, 0.10 and 0.30 mg kg^-1 ) and satisfactory recoveries (80-111%) with relative standard deviation (RSD_r ) ≤ 13% were achieved. A wide variation of residues was found in the analyzed samples. In the case of mango, the ranges of residues were 0.011-0.314, 0.015-0.04, and 0.05-0.291 mg kg^-1 , respectively, for cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, and dimethoate, while in the case of guava, the ranges were 0.04-0.113, and 0.03-0.290 mg kg^-1 , respectively, for cypermethrin and acephate. The average VF for mango was 4.06 and it was 5.70 for guava.

CONCLUSION

VFs originating from the marketed samples of mango and guava are reported in this study for the first time. The estimated VFs were higher than the default value of 3, therefore, the default VFs should be reconsidered when more data are obtained regarding large size crops. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Determination of multiple organochlorine pesticide residues in shrimp using modified QuEChERS extraction and gas chromatography

Determination of organochlorine pesticide residues in shrimp is very important to ensure the consumer’s safety and to fulfill the importer’s demand. Therefore, a simple and efficient multiple organochlorine pesticide residues analytical method using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) extraction technique and Gas Chromatography coupled with Electron Capture Detector (ECD) has been developed and validated for the determination of 19 organochlorine pesticides (α- BHC, δ- BHC, β- BHC, γ- BHC, Heptachlor, Aldrin, Heptachlor Epoxide, γ- Chlordane, α- Chlordane, α- Endosulfan, 4,4 DDE, Dieldrin, Endrin, 4,4 DDD, β- Endosulfan, 4,4 DDT, Endosulfan sulphate, Methoxychlor, and Endrin Ketone) in shrimp. The method was validated by evaluating the accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The average recoveries of the selected pesticides ranged from 84% to 106% with RSDr ≤ 14% in four fortification levels of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg kg-1. The linearity was ≥ 0.996 for all of the selected pesticides with matrix matched calibration standards. The LOD ranged from 0.003 to 0.009 mg kg-1 and the LOQ was 0.05 mg kg-1. This method was applied successfully for the residue analysis of 40 shrimp samples collected from different regions in Bangladesh.SAARC J. Agri., 16(1): 81-93 (2018)

Variability of pesticide residues in eggplant units collected from a field trial and marketplaces in Greece

BACKGROUND

Variability of pesticide residues among food items is very important when assessing the risks and food safety for the consumers. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to estimate the unit-to-unit residue variability factors for eggplant.

RESULTS

In total, 120 samples from a trial field and 142 samples from different marketplaces in Thessaloniki, Greece, were collected to estimate the variability of pesticide residues in eggplant units. They were extracted by the QuEChERS method and the residues were determined by LC-MS/MS. For the field samples, the unit-to-unit variability factors (VFs) obtained for cypermethrin and deltamethrin residues were 2.54 and 2.51, respectively. The mean residue levels of both pesticides were higher in the composite samples than in the individual samples. The average VFs for the marketplace samples was 3.89. The eggplant units exposed to pesticides were higher in residues than the non-exposed units.

CONCLUSION

The variability factors obtained in the marketplace samples were higher than those in the samples collected from the field trial. A default VF value of 3 for field trials is appropriate for use when assessing the acute dietary intake but a VF for the marketplace samples should be reconsidered with a larger data. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Variability of pesticide residues in cauliflower units collected from a field trial and market places in Greece

To estimate the variability of pesticide residue levels present in cauliflower units, a total of 142 samples were collected from a field trial of a cooperative farmer, and 120 samples were collected from different market places in Thessaloniki, Greece. The collected samples were extracted using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction technique, and the residues were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The developed method was validated by evaluating the accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). The average recoveries for all the analytes, derived from the data of control samples fortified at 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/kg, ranged from 74 to 110% with a relative standard deviation of ≤8%. The correlation coefficient (R(2)) was ≥0.997 for all the analytes using matrix-matched calibration standards. The LOD values ranged from 0.001 to 0.003 mg/kg, and the LOQ was determined at 0.01 mg/kg for all the sought analytes. The matrix effect was found to be at a considerable level, especially for cypermethrin and deltamethrin, amounting to +90% and +145%, respectively. For the field samples, the unit-to-unit variability factors (VFs) calculated for cypermethrin and deltamethrin were 2.38 and 2.32, respectively, while the average VF for the market basket samples was 5.11. In the market basket samples, residues of cypermethrin, deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos, and indoxacarb were found at levels ≥LOQ and their respective VFs were 7.12, 5.67, 5.28, and 2.40.

Determination of residue of diazinon and carbosulfan in brinjal and quinalphos in yard long bean under supervised field trial

The present study was undertaken to detect and quantify the left over residue of Diazinon and Carbosulfan in brinjal and Quinalphos in yard long bean and comparison between the detected residue level with maximum residue level (MRL) set by FAO (1970). Three supervised field trials (two for brinjal and one for yard long bean) were carried out sprayed with the field dose (1.5 ml/L of water) of Diazinon, Carbosulfan, and Quinaiphos. Samples were collected daily after spraying till residue were found. In case of Diazinon, left over residue was found upto 6 days after spray (DAS), and upto 3 DAS, the level of residue was above the MRL. Carbosulfan residue was detected till 7 DAS and the detected quantity of residue was above MRL upto 3 DAS. Left over residue of Quinalphos in yard long bean sample was detected upto 6 DAS and upto 4 DAS the level of residue was above the MRL. Key Words: Residue, Diazinon, Carbosulfan, Quinalphos. brinjal, yard long bean. doi:10.3329/bjar.v33i3.1609 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 33(3) : 503-513, September 2008