The concentration of pesticides in onion samples from Iran: a non-carcinogenic health risk assessment

Abstract

ABSTRACT Pesticide residues were extracted using the QuEChERS method, followed by detection by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The non-carcinogenic health risk in adult and child consumers was calculated by target hazard quotient (THQ) and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) in the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. The rank order of pesticides detected by UHPLC-MS/MS based on median concentration in onion was tebuconazole (0.004551 mg/kg) > imidacloprid (0.00233 mg/kg) > boscalid (0.00211 mg/kg) > diazinon (0.00079 mg/kg) > thiabendazole (0.00075 mg/kg) > acetamiprid (0.00052 mg/kg) > thiophanate-methyl (0.00052 mg/kg) > dichlorvos (0.000349 mg/kg) > fenitrothion (0.000132 mg/kg) > penconazole (0.00005 mg/kg). The median of TTHQ in adults and children’s consumers were 4.00E–3 and 2.00E–2, respectively. TTHQ in adults and children’s consumers was lower than 1 value. Hence, consumers were in the acceptable range (TTHQ <1). Consequently, onion consumption cannot endanger consumers’ health status due to the pesticide residues.