Pesticide residues in vegetables from Gansu province, China and risk assessment by Monte Carlo simulation

ABSTRACT

To assess the dietary exposure risks of pesticide residues in vegetables for the general population, the presence of 39 pesticides was determined in 70 samples, of which 13 were detected. The most frequently detected pesticide was bifenthrin, with a detection rate of 35.7%, mainly found in gingers, followed by isoprocarb and acephate (11.4%) and dimethoate (8.6%). In 17.1% of the samples two or more pesticide residues were found. Acute, chronic and chronic cumulative dietary exposure risk was assessed. Chronic exposure risks were determined by Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). Estimated chronic exposure to carbofuran, omethoate, disulfoton and dimethoate of approximately 49%, 52%, 40% and 3%, respectively, were at non-carcinogenic human risk. Acute exposure risk to acephate was considered to be of concern due to the high acute hazard quotient (aHQ).

KEYWORDS:

• Pesticide residue
• vegetables
• dietary risk assessment
• Monte Carlo simulation

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the dedication and cooperation of all participants in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contribution

Ping Wang: Formal analysis, Writing – original draft. Yongjun Li: Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing. Jianyun Sun: Supervision, Writing – review & editing. Gexiang Zhang: Conceptualisation, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Writing – review & editing.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.