Τemporal Variation in Pesticide Residues in Citrus Fruits from Chios, Greece, before and after the Development of an Integrated Pest Management Strategy (IPMS): A Five-Year Study (LIFE13 ENV GR/000414).

Eleftheria Bempelou,Maroula Kiousi,Vassilis Mavraganis,Konstantinos Liapis,Nikos Kouloussis,Panagiota Malatou,Christos Anagnostopoulos,Nikolaos T Papadopoulos

doi:10.3390/toxics9120323

Eleftheria Bempelou, Maroula Kiousi + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9120323

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Abstract

The temporal variation in pesticide residues in Kampos, of Chios Island, in Greece, was determined between June 2014 and October 2019. Monitoring of residues took place before and after the development of an Integrated Pest Management Strategy (IPMS) for the sustainable control of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) based on mass trapping with the non-toxic and environmentally friendly attractant Biodelear. A total of 1252 samples of citrus fruits, collected from 12 experimental citrus orchards, were analyzed for the presence of 353 active substances and metabolites of pesticides. A modified QuEChERS method and sensitive chromatographic techniques were used. During preparatory monitoring for the project, the most frequently detected pesticides were the insecticides chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin and spirotetramat; the fungicides propamocarb, dimethomorph and mepanipyrim; and the synergist piperonyl butoxide. The implementation of the IPMS to address medfly resulted in a dramatic reduction in the pesticides detected in citrus fruits during confirmatory monitoring, with no detectable residues—which may cause serious problems to human health—in any of the samples analyzed at the end of the project, thus enhancing consumer safety.

Highlights

Nowadays, pesticides are used intensively in the primary agricultural sector to control infestations of insects, microorganisms, fungi and weeds [1,2]
Farmers and, especially, operators run the highest risk of exposure to pesticides; consumers are exposed to pesticides through the diet and water [4,5], whereby pesticides enter into the food chain, potentially causing serious problems for human health, even in low quantities
The results showed a significant difference between summer (PM) and winter (CM) samplings

Summary

Introduction

Pesticides are used intensively in the primary agricultural sector to control infestations of insects, microorganisms, fungi and weeds [1,2]. Pesticides may enter into the human organism through inhalation, dermal uptake or through food consumption [3]. Farmers and, especially, operators run the highest risk of exposure to pesticides; consumers are exposed to pesticides through the diet and water [4,5], whereby pesticides enter into the food chain, potentially causing serious problems for human health, even in low quantities. The intensive application of pesticides, either as products for plant protection or as biocides, affects the quality of the environment in agroecosystems with respect to food safety and environmental parameters. Citrus is one of the most economically important and popular fruit crops worldwide. (citron) was the first citrus tree to be recorded in Europe and the Middle East, and was imported from India into Greece, Turkey and It is believed that Citrus medica L. (citron) was the first citrus tree to be recorded in Europe and the Middle East, and was imported from India into Greece, Turkey and

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