Determination of parathion, aldicarb, and thiobencarb in tap water and bottled mineral water in Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Water is a necessity for life. Currently, because of different contaminations in tap water, most people prefer using bottled mineral waters. Pesticides (e.g., organophophorous, carbamates, etc.) are among the most dangerous chemicals that may be found in drinking waters, which can cause long- and short-term complications. Because all people consume at least 2 L of water per day, water-quality monitoring is vital. In this study, we determined the concentration of three pesticides (aldicarb, parathion, and thiobencarb) in 13 tap-water samples collected from 13 different urban areas and 10 samples of bottled mineral water in Mashhad, a major city in northeast Iran. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with a pulsed flame photometric detector after solid-phase extraction. Results showed that 2 of 13 tap-water samples and 2 of 10 bottled mineral water trademarks were contaminated either by parathion or by thiobencarb or both, with concentrations ranging between 0.6 and 0.8 ppb. According to the defined guideline values, determined concentrations of pesticides are below the permissible World Health Organization level for these toxic agents, and it is considered that drinking these tap waters and bottled mineral waters are safe for human consumption.