Occurrence of pesticides residues in French beans, tomatoes, and kale in Kenya, and their human health risk indicators
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Occurrence of pesticides residues in French beans, tomatoes, and kale in Kenya, and their human health risk indicators Gabriel M. Marete & Victor O. Shikuku & Joseph O. Lalah & Jane Mputhia & Vitalis W. Wekesa
Received: 16 July 2020 / Accepted: 5 October 2020 # Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract Residue levels of seven commonly used pesticides were determined in random samples of tomatoes, French beans, and kale collected from horticultural farms in Buuri, Imenti North, and Imenti South subcounties in Meru, Kenya, just before delivery to the consumers. QuEChERS method for extraction followed by LC-MS/MS was used to determine the concentrations. The concentrations (μg kg−1 wet weight) in French beans, kale, and tomatoes ranged from below detection limit (BDL): BDL–48.65 (carbendazim), BDL–290.76 (imidacloprid), BDL–2.81 (acetamiprid), BDL–25.76 (azoxystrobin), BDL–105.18 (metalaxyl), BDL–0.15 (diazinon), and BDL–0.17(chlorpyrifos). The maximum residue levels determined in the horticultural produce from the three regions were 290 μg kg−1 G. M. Marete : J. Mputhia Department of Geoscience and the Environment, School of Physics and Earth Sciences, Technical University of Kenya, P.O. Box 52428-00200, Nairobi, Kenya V. O. Shikuku (*) Department of Physical Sciences, Kaimosi Friends University College, P.O. Box 385-50309, Kaimosi, Kenya e-mail: [email protected] J. O. Lalah Department of Geochemistry and Environmental Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Material Science, Technical University of Kenya, P.O. Box 52428-00200, Nairobi, Kenya V. W. Wekesa Department of Technical and Applied Biology, School of Biological and Life Sciences, Technical University of Kenya, P.O. Box 52428-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
for imidacloprid in tomatoes from Buuri and 25.76 μg kg−1for azoxystrobin in French beans from Imenti South. The pesticide residue levels generally were extremely low and met the MRLs set by EU and other countries, except for carbendazim and metalaxyl in French beans, and posed no concern to human health. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) (mg kg−1 BW/day) for the population of Meru County were very low ranging from 1.685 × 10−8 (acetamiprid) to 2.381 × 10−5 (imidacloprid) in tomatoes, 2.849 × 10−9 (metalaxyl) to 3.633 × 10−7 (azoxystrobin) in French beans, and 1.392 × 10−8 (diazinon) in kale, respectively. The health risk indices were subsequently extremely low for the detectable pesticide residues, ranging from 6.74 × 10−7 (acetamiprid) to 3.97 × 10−4 (imidacloprid) in tomatoes, 3.56 × 10−8 (metalaxyl) to 5.52 × 10−5 (chlorpyrifos) in French beans, and 6.96 × 10−5 (diazinon) in kale, respectively, indicating no health risk in the population, but their presence in these vegetables cannot be ignored as long-term exposure can still cause health risks. Keywords Pesticide residues . Vegetables . Risk assessment . Meru County . Kenya
Introduction Pesticides are extensively used to maximize crop yields and reduce post-harvest losses (Chen et al. 2011). Unfortunately, the continued rise in dependence on chemical pes
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