title: Pesticide residues in leafy vegetables and human health risk assessment in North Central agricultural areas of Chile.
abstract: To investigate pesticide residue concentrations and potential human health risk, a study was conducted in 118 leafy vegetable samples collected in 2014-2015 from the North Central agricultural areas of Chile. The pesticide residues were determined using the multiresidue QuEChERS method by gas chromatography as well as high-performance liquid chromatography. The results indicated that 27% of the total samples contained pesticide residues above the maximum residue limits of each active ingredient. The maximum estimated daily intake obtained for carbon disulphide (CS2), methamidophos, azoxystrobin and cypermethrin were 0.57, 0.07, 0.06 and 0.05 mg kg-1, respectively, which was higher than their acceptable daily intake. It is concluded that inhabitants of the North Central agricultural area of Chile are not exposed to health risks through the consumption of leafy vegetables with the exception of methamidophos. Nevertheless, the high levels of methamidophos detected in leafy vegetables could be considered a potential chronic health risk.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environment and Sustainability , Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias , Santiago , Chile.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elgueta
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environment and Sustainability , Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias , Santiago , Chile.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moyano
authors.affiliation: b Department of Plant Pathology , Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias , Santiago , Chile.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sepúlveda
authors.affiliation: c Department of Plant Health , Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias , La Serena , Chile.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quiroz
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environment and Sustainability , Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias , Santiago , Chile.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Correa
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D002677:Chile; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds; D010573:Pesticide Residues; C014655:methamidophos
keywords: Pesticide residues; acceptable daily intake (ADI); hazard quotient (HQ); maximum residue limits (MRLs)