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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2015, Vol. 14 Issue (11): 2328-2339    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61124-8
Section 3: Risk management and standards Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Risk assessment and ranking of pesticide residues in Chinese pears
 LI Zhi-xia, NIE Ji-yun, YAN Zhen, XU Guo-feng, LI Hai-fei, KUANG Li-xue, PAN Li-gang, XIE Han-zhong, WANG Cheng, LIU Chuan-de, ZHAO Xu-bo, GUO Yong-ze
1、Institute of Pomology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Fruit (Xingcheng), Ministry of Agriculture, Xingcheng 125100, P.R.China
2、Beijing Research Center for Agricultural Standards and Testing, Beijing 100097, P.R.China
3、Zhengzhou Institute of Pomology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou 450009, P.R.China
4、Institute of Quality Standards & Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, P.R.China
5、Yantai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yantai 265500, P.R.China
6、Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, P.R.China
7、Institute of Tianjin Agriculture Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Tianjin 300381, P.R.China
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摘要  The presence of pesticide residues in pears is a serious health concern. This study presents the results from a 2-year investigation (2013–2014) that used gas chromatography, GS/MS and UPLC/MS-MS to measure the levels of 104 pesticides in 310 pear samples. In 93.2% of the samples, 43 pesticides were detected, of which the maximum residue levels (MRLs) were exceeded in 2.6% of the samples. Multiple residues (two to eight compounds) were present in 69.7% of the samples; one sample contained nine pesticides and one sample contained 10. Only 6.8% of the samples did not contain residues. To assess the health risks, the pesticide residue data have been combined with daily pear consumption data for children and adult populations. A deterministic model was used to assess the chronic and acute exposures based on the Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) method. A potential acute risk was demonstrated for children in the case of bifenthrin, which was found to be present at 105.36% of the acute reference dose (ARfD) value. The longterm exposure of the Chinese consumer to pesticide residues through the consumption of raw pears was far below the acceptable daily intake (ADI) criterion. Additionally, the matrix ranking scheme was used to classify risk subgroups of pesticides and pear samples. In general, 95.5% of samples were deemed to be safe and nine pesticides were classified as being of a relatively high risk. The findings indicated that the occurrence of pesticide residues in pears should not be considered a serious public health problem. Nevertheless, a more detailed study is required for vulnerable consumer groups, especially children. Continuous monitoring of pesticides in pears and tighter regulation of pesticide residue standards are recommended.

Abstract  The presence of pesticide residues in pears is a serious health concern. This study presents the results from a 2-year investigation (2013–2014) that used gas chromatography, GS/MS and UPLC/MS-MS to measure the levels of 104 pesticides in 310 pear samples. In 93.2% of the samples, 43 pesticides were detected, of which the maximum residue levels (MRLs) were exceeded in 2.6% of the samples. Multiple residues (two to eight compounds) were present in 69.7% of the samples; one sample contained nine pesticides and one sample contained 10. Only 6.8% of the samples did not contain residues. To assess the health risks, the pesticide residue data have been combined with daily pear consumption data for children and adult populations. A deterministic model was used to assess the chronic and acute exposures based on the Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) method. A potential acute risk was demonstrated for children in the case of bifenthrin, which was found to be present at 105.36% of the acute reference dose (ARfD) value. The longterm exposure of the Chinese consumer to pesticide residues through the consumption of raw pears was far below the acceptable daily intake (ADI) criterion. Additionally, the matrix ranking scheme was used to classify risk subgroups of pesticides and pear samples. In general, 95.5% of samples were deemed to be safe and nine pesticides were classified as being of a relatively high risk. The findings indicated that the occurrence of pesticide residues in pears should not be considered a serious public health problem. Nevertheless, a more detailed study is required for vulnerable consumer groups, especially children. Continuous monitoring of pesticides in pears and tighter regulation of pesticide residue standards are recommended.
Keywords:  pear       pesticide residue       risk assessment       intake       risk ranking  
Received: 21 April 2015   Accepted:
Fund: 

This work was financially supported by the National Program for Quality and Safety Risk Assessment of Agricultural Products of China (GJFP2014002, GJFP2015002) and the Core Research Budget of the Non-Profit Governmental Research Institution of China (0032014013).

Corresponding Authors:  NIE Ji-yun, Tel: +86-429-3598178, Fax: +86-429-3598185, E-mail: jiyunnie@163.com   
About author:  LI Zhi-xia, E-mail: lizhixia128@126.com;

Cite this article: 

LI Zhi-xia, NIE Ji-yun, YAN Zhen, XU Guo-feng, LI Hai-fei, KUANG Li-xue, PAN Li-gang, XIE Han-zhong, WANG Cheng, LIU Chuan-de, ZHAO Xu-bo, GUO Yong-ze. 2015. Risk assessment and ranking of pesticide residues in Chinese pears. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 14(11): 2328-2339.

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