Organic pollution in PGI and non-PGI lemons and related soils from Italy and Turkey

Abstract

In this work 67 organic contaminants in Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and non-PGI Interdonato Lemon pulps, peels, leave and related soils were evaluated by GC/MS-MS.

It is possible to highlight that in Italian pulps and peels the residues were under LODs (0.10–10.30 ng·g⁻¹), whereas the leaves showed piperonyl butoxide in 33% of samples (11.76 ± 1.24 ng·g⁻¹) and cypermethrins in 33% of samples (Cypermethrin I, 6.12 ± 0.35 ng·g⁻¹; Cypermethrin II, 8.67 ± 0.48 ng·g⁻¹; Cypermethrin III, 8.90 ± 1.52 ng·g⁻¹; Cypermethrin IV, 12.25 ± 2.46 ng·g⁻¹).

Turkish samples were mainly contaminated by piperonyl butoxide: it was revealed in the 33% of pulps (3.35 ± 1.03 ng·g⁻¹), in 100% of peels (23.46 ± 17.69 ng·g⁻¹) and in 100% of leaves (1302.44 ± 527.40 ng·g⁻¹). In both soils a different contamination was detected.

This study confirms that the European brand (PGI) of Interdonato Lemon Messina is a valuable instrument for the consumer protection.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• PGI and non-PGI Interdonato lemon
• soil
• OCPs
• PCBs
• PAH
• GC-MS/MS

Acknowledgements

We thank for Italian samples the referents of project “CIBI CI.TRUS B.USINESS I.NTELLIGENCE” Business Intelligence per l’innovazione e la competitività del comparto Agrumicolo Siciliano. Applicazioni alla filiera del Limone Interdonato Messina IGP.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.