Abstract
The aim of the present study was to assess the level of pesticide residues in vegetables in the Almaty Region of Kazakhstan and to determine the potential health risks associated with the exposures to these pesticides. A total of 82 samples of cucumbers and tomatoes from top agro-based market and greenhouses were analysed using a gas chromatography–micro electron capture detector/nitrogen–phosphorous detector (GC-μECD/NPD), a multiresidue method to analyse 184 different pesticide types. The results indicated that more than half of samples (59 %) contained 29 pesticides, in which 10 are not registered in Kazakhstan, ranging from 0.01 to 0.88 mg kg−1, and 28 % contained pesticide residues above maximum residue levels (MRLs). The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) ranged from 0.01 % of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for pyrimethanil to 12.05 % of the ADI for lambda-cyhalothrin. The most critical commodity is triazophos and flusilazole in tomatoes, contributing 70.8 and 42.5 % to the acute hazard index (aHI). The results provided important information on the current pesticide contamination status of two commonly consumed vegetables and pointed an urgent need to control the use of plant protection products applied, especially potentially persistent pesticides, such as endosulfan and dicofol. These results also show that the detected pesticides may be considered a public health problem.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10661-015-4818-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Since 2008, the government of Kazakhstan has revived and invested into the greenhouse industry to satisfy the increasing demand for vegetables
The results of this study support our hypothesis about the presence of pesticides in greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers sold in market outlets and supermarkets in Kazakhstan
Producers must submit for pesticide residue testing of their farm outputs at accredited toxicology labs with modern equipment and elaborate detection methods
Summary
Since 2008, the government of Kazakhstan has revived and invested into the greenhouse industry to satisfy the increasing demand for vegetables. In the end of 2013, approximately 800 ha of sheltered ground was provided for vegetable production, mainly for cucumbers and tomatoes (an internal estimate from various sources because of conflicting statistics). In Kazakhstan, tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are some of the most important vegetable components of the diet and are consumed raw, cooked or processed. Based on our monitoring of 44 greenhouse farms in Kazakhstan during 2012–2014, we conclude that producers are facing severe pest and fungi problems. To combat pests, they frequently apply various insectoacaricides, sometimes of unknown nature and origin and at increased dosages. We witnessed pesticide treatments being performed just before harvesting and marketing
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