Dissipation and dietary risk assessment of tristyrylphenol ethoxylate homologues in cucumber after field application

Abstract

The potential for tristyrylphenol ethoxylates (TSPEOs) residues to contaminate crops or be released into the environment is of increasing concern, as they are toxic to living organisms. This study determined the dissipation of TSPEO homologues in cucumber under field conditions. TSPEOn (n = 6–29) dissipated more rapidly in cucumber than in soil samples, with half-lives of 1.80–4.30 d and 3.73–6.52 d, respectively. Short-chain TSPEOn (n = 6–11) persisted for longer than other oligomers in soil. Concentrations of the final residues (∑TSPEOs) in cucumber and soil were 24.3–1349 μg/kg and 47.3–1337 μg/kg, respectively. TSP15EO or TSP16EO was the dominant oligomer, with concentrations of 2.30–150 μg/kg. The risk assessment showed that the acute and chronic dietary exposure risks of ∑TSPEOs in cucumber were 0.03–0.57% and 0.05–0.39%, respectively, suggesting little or no health risk to Chinese consumers.