Residues In Agricultural Products Research Articles

A new sustainable filtration membrane extraction method based on nanoconfined liquid phase extraction: Determination of organochlorinated pesticides and pyrethroids in tea samples

BackgroundPesticides are used in agricultural production for prevent and control crop diseases and pests, but it is easy to cause excessive pesticides residues in agricultural products, polluting the environment and endangering human health. Due to their unmatched and sustainable capabilities, nanoextraction procedures are becoming every day more important in Analytical Chemistry. In particular, nanoconfined liquid phase extraction has shown extraction capabilities toward polar, medium polar, and/or nonpolar substances, which can be easily modulated depending on the nanoconfined solvent used. Furthermore, this “green” technique showed excellent characteristics in terms of recoveries, extraction time (≤1 min), reliability, and versatility. (97) ResultsIn this work, the advantages of this technique have been coupled with those of filtration membrane extraction, making use of carbon nanofibers (CnFs) growth on carbon microspheres (CμS). This substrate has been deposited on a filter, which combined with gas chromatographic mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis successfully employed for the nanoextraction of 30 pesticides (18 organochlorine and 12 pyrethroids) in tea samples. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the linear range with standard solutions was from 1 to 1000 ng mL−1 (R2 ≥ 0.99), the limit of detections in tea samples were in the range 0.56–17.98 μg kg−1. The accuracy of the developed method was evaluated by measuring the extraction recovery of the spiked tea samples, and recoveries between 74.41 % and 115.46 %. (119) SignificanceConsidering the versatility of nanoconfined liquid phase extraction and the functionality of the filtration membrane extraction procedure, this new extraction method can be considered a powerful candidate for automatized high-throughput analyses of real samples. (34)

Integrating transformer-based machine learning with SERS technology for the analysis of hazardous pesticides in spinach

This study introduces an innovative strategy for the rapid and accurate identification of pesticide residues in agricultural products by combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with a state-of-the-art transformer model, termed SERSFormer. Gold-silver core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized and served as high-performance SERS substrates, which possess well-defined structures, uniform dispersion, and a core-shell composition with an average diameter of 21.44 ± 4.02 nm, as characterized by TEM-EDS. SERSFormer employs sophisticated, task-specific data processing techniques and CNN embedders, powered by an architecture features weight-shared multi-head self-attention transformer encoder layers. The SERSFormer model demonstrated exceptional proficiency in qualitative analysis, successfully classifying six categories, including five pesticides (coumaphos, oxamyl, carbophenothion, thiabendazole, and phosmet) and a control group of spinach data, with 98.4% accuracy. For quantitative analysis, the model accurately predicted pesticide concentrations with a mean absolute error of 0.966, a mean squared error of 1.826, and an R2 score of 0.849. This novel approach, which combines SERS with machine learning and is supported by robust transformer models, showcases the potential for real-time pesticide detection to improve food safety in the agricultural and food industries.

A sensitive electrochemical biosensor for detection of carbaryl based on hollow covalent-organic frameworks-gold nanoparticles nanospheres

Carbaryl as an important insecticide is always used in agricultures to achieve higher yields. So, rapid detection of carbaryl residues in agricultural products is very necessary due to its potential harm to human beings. Herein, a hollow covalent-organic frameworks (HCOFTFPB-DBD) gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) nanospheres was used to construct a sensitive electrochemical carbaryl biosensor. The surface of electrode modified by HCOFTFPB-DBD-AuNPs nanospheres was negatively charged and repelled the [Fe(CN)6]3-/4-. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) immobilized on HCOFTFPB-DBD-AuNPs nanospheres catalyzed the hydrolysis of acetylcholine chloride to thiocholine (TCh). The obtained positively charged TCh was adsorbed on the electrode surface by Au-S, which made the electrode surface positively charged to adsorb the negatively charged [Fe(CN)6]3-/4-, showing enhanced oxidation current of [Fe(CN)6]3-/4-. After carbaryl was added, the oxidation current of [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- deceased because ChE activity were inhibited by carbaryl. So, the sensitive detection of carbaryl was achieved at a low potential, which resulted in a high selectivity. The biosensor had a detection limit of 0.38 μM, a linear range of 1.10 μM-40.0 μM, a sensitivity of 0.00863 mA μM−1 and better performance in actual sample.

Generation of a highly specific recombinant full-length antibody for detecting ethirimol in fruit and environmental water

High-performance antibodies are core reagents for highly sensitive immunoassays. Herein, based on a novel hapten, a hybridoma secreting the high-affinity anti-ethirimol monoclonal antibody (mAb-14G5F6) was isolated with an IC50 value of 1.35 μg/L and cross-reactivity below 0.20% for 13 analogs. To further address the challenge of hybridoma preservation and antibody immortalization, a recombinant full-length antibody (rAb-14G5F6) was expressed using the HEK293(F) expression system based on the mAb-14G5F6 gene. The affinity, specificity, and tolerance of rAb-14G5F6, as characterized by indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and noncompetitive surface plasmon resonance, exhibited high concordance with those of mAb-14G5F6. Further immunoassays based on rAb-14G5F6 were developed for irrigation water and strawberry fruit with limits of detection of 0.0066 and 0.036 mg/kg, respectively, recoveries of 80100%, and coefficients of variation below 10%. Furthermore, homology simulation and molecular docking revealed that GLU(L40), GLY(L107), GLY(H108), and ASP(H114) play important roles in forming hydrogen bonds and pi-anion ionic bonds between rAb-14G5F6 and ethirimol, resulting in the high specificity and affinity of rAb-14G5F6 for ethirimol, with a KD of 5.71 × 10-10 mol/L. Overall, a rAb specific for ethirimol was expressed successfully in this study, laying the groundwork for rAb-based immunoassays for monitoring fungicide residues in agricultural products and the environment.

Integration of a hamper pad on test strips for improved sensitivity of carbendazim detection

Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) are widely used to determine carbendazim (CBZ) residues in food products due to their advantages of low cost, ease and rapid use, on-site detection capability. However, conventional LFIAs have low detection sensitivity. Although improvements have been made to increase the sensitivity, it is not sufficient. Here, a hamper pad, polyvinyl alcohol coated on a nitrocellulose membrane, was integrated to enhance the sensitivity of LFIA for CBZ detection. The hamper pad was inserted between the conjugated and nitrocellulose pads to delay the flow rate, thereby increasing the possibility of the antibody and target analyte binding. This platform exhibited a fourfold sensitivity increase in CBZ detection compared with the conventional LFIA, and its limit of detection was 1.6 ng/mL. In addition, a single-step operation was successfully applied to detect CBZ in rice (white rice, brown rice, sticky rice, and paddy) and soybean samples, with acceptable recoveries of 93.6%–120.0%. This novel device was compared to the standard high-performance liquid chromatography method, which shows high accuracy with a Kappa coefficient of 0.91. Therefore, improved sensitivity with a rapid, simple, and inexpensive device could facilitate the detection of CBZ residues in agricultural products for on-field screening and improved user-friendliness.

Rapid and simultaneous detection of five mycotoxins and their analogs with a gold nanoparticle-based multiplex immuno-strip sensor

Mycotoxins, as secondary metabolites produced by fungi, have been the focus of researchers in various countries and are considered to be one of the major risk factors in agricultural products. There is an urgent need for a rapid, simple and high-performance method to detect residues of harmful mycotoxins in agricultural foods. We have developed a gold nanoparticle-based multiplexed immunochromatographic strip biosensor that can simultaneously detect fifteen mycotoxins in cereal samples. With this optimized procedure, five representative mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin (T-2), tenuazonic acid (TEA) and alternariol (AOH) were detected in the range of 0.91–4.77, 0.04–0.56, 0.11–0.68, 0.12–1.02 and 0.09–0.75 ng/mL, respectively. The accuracy and stability of these measurements were demonstrated by analysis of spiked samples with recoveries of 91.8%–115.3% and coefficients of variation <8.7%. In addition, commercially available samples of real cereals were tested using the strips and showed good agreement with the results verified by LC-MS/MS. Therefore, Our assembled ICA strips can be used for the simultaneous detection of 5 mycotoxins and their analogs (15 mycotoxins in total) in grain samples, and the results were consistent between different types of cereal foods, this multiplexed immunochromatographic strip biosensor can be used as an effective tool for the primary screening of mycotoxin residues in agricultural products.

Enhanced detection of copper residues on citrus surfaces: An innovative copper fenton-catalysed colorimetric approach using creatinine and molybdenum trioxide

Accurate quantification of residual copper from inorganic copper reagents on the surface of citrus fruits is crucial for preventing diseases caused by excessive heavy metal intake. In this study, we developed a rapid colorimetric strategy for copper detection that is enhanced under near-neutral pH conditions, using molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) and creatinine for copper-Fenton catalysis. The introduction of MoO3 enriches the redox reactions of Cu2+/Cu+ within the complex formed by copper ions and creatinine, leading to enhanced copper-Fenton catalytic activity at near-neutral pH. In the presence of H2O2, this system oxidises colourless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to blue oxTMB, thereby affording a sensitive colorimetric detection platform for Cu2+. The designed method offers high sensitivity for Cu2+ detection, with a linear range of 0.011.0 μg/mL and a detection limit as low as 0.007 μg/mL. This method was effectively used to analyse copper reagent residues on citrus surfaces, achieving recovery rates of 92.0%115.0%. With its high sensitivity, selectivity, simplicity, and low cost, this colorimetric method shows great potential as an effective approach for determining copper ion levels, particularly for monitoring copper residues in agricultural products.

Microbial Fermentation as an Efficient Method for Eliminating Pyrethroid Pesticide Residues in Food: A Case Study on Cyfluthrin and Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus D-21.

The microbial fermentation of food has emerged as an efficient means to eliminate pesticide residues in agricultural products; however, the specific degradation characteristics and mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, a Gram-positive bacterium, Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus D-21, isolated from fermented Pixian Douban samples exhibited the capability to degrade 45 mg/L of cyfluthrin with an efficiency of 90.37%. Product analysis unveiled a novel cyfluthrin degradation pathway, involving the removal of the cyanide group and ammoniation of the ester bond into an amide. Whole genome analysis discovered the enzymes linked to cyfluthrin degradation, including nitrilase, esterase, carbon-nitrogen ligases, and enzymes associated with aromatic degradation. Additionally, metabolome analysis identified 140 benzenoids distributed across various aromatic metabolic pathways, further substantiating D-21's catabolic capability toward aromatics. This study underscores the exceptional pyrethroid degradation prowess of A. aneurinilyticus D-21, positioning it as a promising candidate for the biotreatment of pesticide residues in food systems.

Research Status in the Use of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) to Detect Pesticide Residues in Foods and Plant-Derived Chinese Herbal Medicines.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology has unique advantages in the rapid detection of pesticides in plant-derived foods, leading to reduced detection limits and increased accuracy. Plant-derived Chinese herbal medicines have similar sources to plant-derived foods; however, due to the rough surfaces and complex compositions of herbal medicines, the detection of pesticide residues in this context continues to rely heavily on traditional methods, which are time consuming and laborious and are unable to meet market demands for portability. The application of flexible nanomaterials and SERS technology in this realm would allow rapid and accurate detection in a portable format. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the underlying principles and characteristics of SERS technology, with particular focus on applications of SERS for the analysis of pesticide residues in agricultural products. This paper summarizes recent research progress in the field from three main directions: sample pretreatment, SERS substrates, and data processing. The prospects and limitations of SERS technology are also discussed, in order to provide theoretical support for rapid detection of pesticide residues in Chinese herbal medicines.

Production of AFB1 High-Specificity Monoclonal Antibody by Three-Stage Screening Combined with the De-Homologation of Antibodies and the Development of High-Throughput icELISA.

To achieve accurate detection of AFB1 toxin content in agricultural products and avoid false-positive rates in the assays, the specificity of mAbs is critical. We improved the specificity of the prepared monoclonal antibodies by modifying the traditional limiting dilution subcloning method. The traditional finite dilution method was modified with three-stage screening (the trending concentration of standards used in the screening is low-high-low) to achieve high specificity in pre-cell screening and increased the number of subclones to 10 to achieve the de-homologation of antibodies. A modified limiting dilution obtained a highly specific AFB1 monoclonal cell line, ZFG8, with a 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of 0.3162 ng/mL. Notably, it exhibited the highest specificity compared to anti-AFB1 monoclonal antibodies prepared by other investigators. The maximum cross-reactivity of the mAb with structural analogues for AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, and AFM1 was 0.34%. The results showed that this type of screening improves the monoclonal antibodies' specificity. Based on this ZFG8 monoclonal antibody, an icELISA assay was established with an IC50 of 0.2135 ng/mL for AFB1. The limit of the linear detection range of icELISA is 0.0422-1.29267 ng/mL with reasonable specificity and precision. The recoveries of AFB1 in samples of corn flour and wheat meal ranged from 84 to 107%, with CVs below 9.3%. The recoveries of structural analogues (AFB2, AFM1, AFG1, and AFG2) were less than 10% in both corn flour and wheat meal. The results showed that the prepared AFB1 monoclonal antibody could accurately and specifically recognize AFB1 residues in agricultural products while ignoring the effects of other structural analogues.

Detection of glyphosate residues in agricultural products using liquid-crystal-based sensor exploiting competitive binding of glyphosate and Cu2+ at the aqueous/LC interface and capillary tube test strip

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that poses both health and environmental risks. In this study, we propose a liquid crystal (LC)-based assay for glyphosate detection that exploits the unique properties of LC materials. The nematic LC 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) was employed as the sensing material and a self-assembled monolayer of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was used to modify glass substrates. The assay involved strong competition for coordination with Cu2+ for glyphosate, resulting in changes in the LC texture. By monitoring and analyzing the optical images of the LC film using polarizing microscopy, we detected and quantified the glyphosate concentrations. The proposed assay demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity toward glyphosate in the detection range of 1–300 nM with a limit of detection of 0.26 nM. Moreover, the assay successfully applied to analyze glyphosate in spiked samples, including tap water, soil, and cabbage, and satisfactory recovery rates were achieved. Based on this detection principle, capillary tube test strips were developed for on-site applications. The detection thresholds of the test strips were controlled by varying the Cu2+ concentration. The developed LC-based assay is a rapid and reliable glyphosate detection method with potential applications in environmental monitoring and food safety.

MOF@Au NPs/aptamer fluorescent probe for the selective and sensitive detection of thiamethoxam

AbstractThe luminescence performance of fluorescent reagents plays a crucial role in fluorescence analysis. Therefore, in this study, a novel bi‐ligand Zn‐based metal–organic framework, Au nanoparticle (NP) fluorescent material was synthesized using a hydrothermal method with Zn as the metal source. Simultaneously, a DNA aptamer was introduced as a molecular recognition element to develop a Zn‐based MOF@Au NPs/DNA aptamer fluorescent probe for the ultra‐trace detection of thiamethoxam residues in agricultural products. The probe captured different concentrations of the target molecule, thiamethoxam, through the DNA aptamer, causing a conformational change in the DNA aptamer and bursting the fluorescence of the probe, therefore establishing a fluorometric method for thiamethoxam detection. This method is highly sensitive due to the excellent luminescence properties of the Zn‐based MOF@Au NPs, and the DNA aptamer can specifically recognize thiamethoxam, offering high selectivity. The linear range of the method was 2.5–6000 × 10−11 mol L−1, with a detection limit of 8.33 × 10−12 mol L−1. This method was applied to the determination of actual samples, such as bananas, and the spiked recovery rate was found to be in the range 84.05–109.07%. Overall, the proposed probe has high sensitivity, high selectivity, and easy operation for the detection of thiamethoxam residues in actual samples.

Molecularly imprinted polymer-coated paper for the selective extraction of organophosphorus pesticides from fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains

Biodegradable molecularly imprinted polymer-coated paper (MIP@paper) was effectively produced by polymerization using azinphos-methyl as a template molecule, terephthalic acid as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker, and aqueous ethanol as a green porogenic solvent. The material was subsequently composited onto cellulose paper, which served as the natural substrate, by dip coating with the aid of chitosan and citric acid natural adhesive. The properties, such as static and dynamic adsorption, selectivity, and reusability, were assessed. At rapid adsorption equilibrium (10 min), the MIP@paper had a high adsorption capacity in the range of 2.5–3.7 mg g−1 and good recognition with imprinting factors up to 2.1. In addition, the proposed MIP@paper was utilized efficiently as a sorbent for dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) of eight organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) prior to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The d-SPE-HPLC method displayed low detection limits of 1.2–4.5 μg kg−1 and significant enrichment factors (up to 320-fold). The proposed method was effectively applied for the determination of OPP residues in agricultural products, including fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains, with satisfactory spiked recoveries (80.1–119.1 %). Thus, the MIP@paper material provided a selective and environmentally favorable method for extracting and determining organophosphorus pesticides.

Antioxidant Effect of Shallot Peel Infusion on Kidney Oxidative Stress in Diazinon-Induced Wistar Rats

Diazinon is a pesticide widely used by farmers to control pests. Exposure to the low doses of diazinon can occur continuously through a polluted environment and diazinon residues in agricultural products. It has a nephrotoxic effect through oxidative stress mechanism. Flavonoid as antioxidant can significantly neutralize oxidative stress. Shallot peel is a source of flavonoids. This study was designed to determine the antioxidant effect of shallot skin infusion (SPI) on kidney oxidative stress in diazinon-induced Wistar rats by measuring the flavonoid level of SPI and kidney malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Rats were divided into normal, diazinon, and SPI groups. Diazinon was administered at dose of 40 mg/kgBW for 7 days followed by SPI at doses of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kgBW for 7 days. The flavonoid level of SPI was measured using spectrophotometry method and the kidney MDA level was measured using ELISA method. The flavonoid level of SPI was 96.8 mg QE/L. The results showed that the normal group had the lowest kidney MDA level of 2.585 mM/mL, the diazinon group had the highest level of 2.708 M/mL, while the SPI group at dose of of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kgBW had renal MDA levels of 2.642 mM/mL, 2.644 mM/mL, and 2.593 mM/mL. Nevertheless, the result of statistical analysis showed that the kidney MDA levels seven days after diazinon administration was not significantly different from the normal group so that SPI administration did not affect the kidney MDA level in diazinon-induced Wistar rats.&#x0D; Keyword: Shallot Peel, Diazinon, Oxidative Stress, Kidney Malondialdehyde

Monitoring of pesticide residue in pistachio nut samples by LC/MS-MS

The presence of pesticide residues in agricultural products is one of the most important challenges to food safety. The use of pesticides in the cultivation of pistachios can lead to residues above the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The current research focused on quantifying 112 pesticide residues utilizing Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe“ (QuEChERS) method was used for sample preparation. The linearity of the method was investigated with the procedural calibration curve over six concentration levels ranging from 0.015 to 0.5 mg/kg. The method's repeatability at two levels, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, was established, ranging from 0.5 % to 20 %. The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of pesticides were around 0.003 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. Acetamiprid and Thiacloprid were found at the permitted level in 7 and 3 out of the 20 samples.

Trends of pesticide residues in agricultural products in the Chinese market from 2011 to 2020

Pesticide residues in market products pose a serious threat to consumers' health. This study aimed to analyze pesticide residues in agricultural products in the Chinese market. According to the data on agricultural products exceeding maximum residue levels (MRLs) obtained by the market supervision administration, 5387 batches of agricultural products (BAPs) in the Chinese market from 2011 to 2020 were extracted. The basic information of the data, time, region, crops and pesticides were discussed. The characteristics and trends of unqualified pesticide residues (UQPRs) in the Chinese market were statistically analyzed. The results showed that the BAPs withUQPRs increased over time, mainly occurring in spring and autumn. Most of the crops with UQPRs were leafy crops, among which Leek and Celery accounted for 28.3% and 16.9% of the total, respectively. Meanwhile, the regions with the most BAPs were Shandong, Henan, and Chongqing. Combining the statistical results and analyzing the reasons, the occurrence of UQPRs can be reduced from three aspects: government, market, and farmers.

Different sized gold nanoparticles for array-based sensing of pesticides and its application for strawberry pollution monitoring

The use of pesticides plays an essential role in improving crop quality and yield, however, it causes air, water, and soil pollution and the residue of these pesticides in agricultural products threatens the ecosystem and human life. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop rapid, simple, and cost-effective methods for regular monitoring of pesticide residues in agricultural products especially strawberry that is consumed fresh and unpeeled. In this study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of varying sizes have been exploited as sensing units to design a non-enzymatic colorimetric sensor array for the detection and discrimination of various pesticides including; bifenazate (BF), paraquat (PQ), diazinon (DZ), thiometon (TM), and carbendazim (CD) and chlorpyrifos (CP). Because of their strong size- and environmentally-dependent properties, AuNPs with different sizes produced distinguished plasmonic patterns in the presence of pesticides at a vast range of concentrations (25–800 ng mL−1). Plasmonic patterns of sensor units have been analyzed by various data visualization (bar plots and heat maps) and pattern recognition methods (linear discriminant analysis (LDA)). The multivariate calibrations showed linear responses ranging from 50 to 800 ng mL−1 for carbendazim, chlorpyrifos, paraquat, and bifenazate and 25–800 ng mL−1 for diazinon and thiometon. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated to be 17.7, 22.8, 22.4, 9.7, 7.4, and 23.8 ng mL−1 for carbendazim, chlorpyrifos, paraquat, diazinon, thiometon, and bifenazate respectively. Finally, the applicability of the designed sensor was evaluated in real samples comprising tap water, well water, soil, and fruit, leave, drainage water, and culture substrate of strawberry.

Mediterranean Plants as Potential Source of Biopesticides: An Overview of Current Research and Future Trends.

The development and implementation of safe natural alternatives to synthetic pesticides are urgent needs that will provide ecological solutions for the control of plant diseases, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, pests, and weeds to ensure the economic stability of farmers and food security, as well as protection of the environment and human health. Unambiguously, production of botanical pesticides will allow for the sustainable and efficient use of natural resources and finally decrease the use of chemical inputs and burden. This is further underlined by the strict regulations on pesticide residues in agricultural products and is in harmony with the Farm to Fork strategy, which aims to reduce pesticide use by 50% by 2030. Thus, the present work aims to compile the scientific knowledge of the last 5 years (2017-February 2023) regarding the Mediterranean plants that present biopesticidal effects. The literature review revealed 40 families of Mediterranean plants with at least one species that have been investigated as potential biopesticides. However, only six families had the highest number of species, and they were reviewed comprehensively in this study. Following a systematic approach, the extraction methods, chemical composition, biopesticidal activity, and commonly used assays for evaluating the antimicrobial, pesticidal, repellant, and herbicidal activity of plant extracts, as well as the toxicological and safety aspects of biopesticide formulation, are discussed in detail. Finally, the aspects that have not yet been investigated or are under-investigated and future perspectives are highlighted.

Transport and interaction mechanism of four pesticide residues from Chaenomeles speciosa across Caco-2 cells

The presence of multiple pesticide residues in agricultural production highlights the need for studying mixture interaction during transepithelial transport. This study applied the Caco-2 cell model to investigate the interaction of four pesticide residues (carbendazim, epoxiconazole, phoxim, and chlorpyrifos) in Chaenomeles speciosa during transepithelial transport. Results demonstrated that co-treatment with pesticide mixtures generally increased the cumulative transport amount of carbendazim and epoxiconazole by 0.32–1.60 times and 0.32–0.98 times, respectively, compared to individual treatments. Notably, the combination of carbendazim and epoxiconazole displayed a significant synergistic effect. The use of transporter inhibitors and molecular docking analysis provided insights into the interaction mechanism, suggesting that the competitive inhibition of MRP2 and/or BCRP binding via π-bonds contributed to the inhibition of BL-to-AP efflux and a significant increase in AP-to-BL influx of carbendazim and epoxiconazole. The results are of great theoretical significance and practical value for risk assessment of multiple pesticide residues in agricultural products.

Simultaneous Screening of 322 Residual Pesticides in Fruits and Vegetables Using GC-MS/MS and Deterministic Health Risk Assessments.

The development of efficient methods for evaluating pesticide residues is essential in order to ensure the safety and quality of agricultural products since the Republic of Korea implemented the Positive List System (PLS). The objective of this research was to establish a method for the simultaneous analysis of 322 pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables (such as coffee, potato, corn, and chili pepper), using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) approach in combination with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). This study introduces a robust, high-throughput GC-MS/MS method for screening the target pesticide residues in agricultural products, achieving the PLS criterion of 0.01 mg/kg LOQ. Despite some compounds not aligning with the CODEX recovery guideline, sufficient reproducibility was confirmed, attesting to the method's applicability in qualitative analyses. A health risk assessment conducted using estimated daily intake/acceptable daily intake ratios indicated low risks associated with product consumption (<0.035391%), thereby confirming their safety. This efficient method holds significant implications for the safe distribution of agricultural products, including during import inspections.