Determination of pesticide residues in varieties of pepper sold at different periods and provinces in Turkey and investigation of their adverse effects on human health and the environment

Aktaş Ş., Aminzai M. T., Tegin İ., Yabalak E., ACAR O.

International Journal of Environmental Health Research, vol.34, no.6, pp.2491-2503, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 34 Issue: 6
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2254720
  • Journal Name: International Journal of Environmental Health Research
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Educational research abstracts (ERA), EMBASE, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Geobase, MEDLINE, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database
  • Page Numbers: pp.2491-2503
  • Keywords: food monitoring, maximum residue limits, health hazards, LC-MS/MS, pepper, Pesticides
  • Gazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Pesticides are dangerous chemicals that can harm to people and the environment when applied inappropriately or in excess. In this research, various pesticide residues were investigated in 48 pepper samples using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). All samples were collected randomly in two periods of time (September and December) from markets and greengrocers in four provinces (Siirt, Mardin, Diyarbakir, and Batman). Considering the means of the first and second periods, diclofop-methyl had the highest concentration of 29.4 ± 7.7 µg kg−1, and diazinon had the lowest of 21.1 ± 4.6 µg kg−1. Based on the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticides specified in the Turkish Food Codex, pyrimethanil, bupirimate, and diclofop-methyl were found to be below the maximum acceptable residue limit, while pyridaphention, dinoseb, diazinon, and pirimiphos-methyl were found to be above the limit. Thus, the current study demonstrated the potential of LC-MS/MS as a crucial technique for accurate measurements and confirmations of pesticides in different pepper varieties.