Analytical Detection of Sulfonamides and Organophosphorus Insecticide Residues in Fish in Taiwan.

Chung-Pei Chang,Po-Hsun Hou,Chien-Teng Lin,Ming-Yang Tsai,Geng-Ruei Chang,Chia-Chia Chang,Yi-Jing Xue,Jiann-Hsiung Wang,Wei-Cheng Yang,Ching-Fen Wu,Hsiao-Pei Tsai

doi:10.3390/molecules25071501

Abstract

Exposure to residues of antibiotics (e.g., sulfonamides) and insecticides (e.g., organophosphorus insecticides) in aquacultured food can adversely affect humans and animals and thus affect public health globally. Here, using a validated method, we examined the levels of residues of 12 sulfonamides as well as 18 organophosphorus insecticides in aquacultured fish in Taiwan. A total of 52 fish samples (i.e., 20 tilapia, 16 milk fish, and 16 perch samples) were obtained from Taiwanese aquafarms from June 2018 to October 2019. We detected 0.02 and 0.03 mg/kg of sulfamethazine (a sulfonamide) in one tilapia and one milk fish, respectively, and 0.02, 0.05, and 0.03 mg/kg of chlorpyrifos (an organophosphorus insecticide) in one tilapia, one milk fish, and one perch, respectively; thus, among the samples, 3.85% and 5.77% contained sulfonamides and organophosphorus insecticide residues, respectively. Furthermore, we assessed human health risk based on the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of these residues: EDIs of sulfonamide and organophosphorus insecticide residues were <1.0% of the acceptable daily intake recommended by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives. The risk of exposure to sulfonamide and organophosphorus insecticide residue by consuming aquacultured fish in Taiwan was thus negligible, signifying no immediate health risk related to the consumption of fish. Our findings can constitute a reference in efforts geared toward ensuring food safety and monitoring veterinary drug and insecticide residue levels in aquacultured organisms. Residue levels in fish must be continually monitored to further determine possible effects of these residues on human health.

Highlights

The aquaculture industry is of great economic importance and has been growing faster than other animal-farming industry worldwide [1]
Gas chromatography flame ionization revealed the limit of quantification (LOQ) of chlopyriphos, ethion, ethoprophos, fensulfothion, isoxathion, and parathion to be 2–50 ng/g [18]; gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed the LOQs of propetamphos, diazinon, disulfoton, malathion, fenthion, and triazophos to be 7–15.2 ng/g [19]; and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) coupled with gel permeation chromatography revealed the LOQs of profenofos, chlorpyrifos, malathion, phosmet, triazophos, trichlorphon, and dimethoate to be 0.05–0.2 ng/g [20]
We report an efficient and sensitive LC and gas chromatography (GC)-MS/MS-based method for detecting sulfonamide and organophosphorus insecticide residues in fish

Summary

Introduction

The aquaculture industry is of great economic importance and has been growing faster than other animal-farming industry worldwide [1]. In Taiwan, more than 35 major and candidate aquatic species are commercially aquacultured [3]. Over 2010–2018, Taiwan’s revenue derived from land aquaculture was up to US$1 billion on average [3]; in addition, during the 2010s, Taiwan’s estimated annual land aquaculture production was 300,000 t [4]. In Taiwan, major developments in aquaculture occurred over the 1960s to the 1990s [2], mainly because of the strong support of the government since the 1960s [5]. The government strongly supported the farming of fish, such as tilapia, milkfish, perch, eels, and groupers. From the beginning of tilapia farming in 1978 until 2018, Taiwan’s average annual tilapia production increased to 60,000 t [3]

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion