Assessment of pesticide use and pesticide residues in vegetables from two provinces in Central Vietnam

Abstract

Pesticide residue in food, especially in vegetables, is one of the important parameters to assess food safety. This study evaluates the pesticide use in vegetables from two provinces in Central Vietnamand and present data on pesticides detected in vegetables sampled from the sites. The potential health risk associated with the contamination of four commonly used pesticides in different vegetables is also discussed. Both household surveys and monitoring campaigns were conducted. The survey showed that improper pesticide application, storage, and waste disposal prevailed at the study sites. Only 20% of the respondent were aware of pesticide toxicity. As a result, pesticides were detected in 81% out of 290 vegetable samples collected at harvesting time. Up to 23% of samples had pesticide residues above the Maximum Residue Limit values. The highest total pesticide concentration quantified in vegetables in Thua Thien Hue was 11.9 mg/kg (green onions), and in Quang Binh was 38.6 mg/kg (mustard greens). Median residue levels of individual pesticides in vegetables ranged from 0.007 to 0.037 mg/kg. Among the ten target pesticides, cypermethrin, difenoconazole, and fenobucarb were detected at the highest frequencies (72%, 41%, and 37%, respectively). Pesticide residues varied between seasons at both study provinces. Pesticide contamination in the wet season was significantly higher than in the dry season. This study also discovered a potential health risk associated with fipronil residues in vegetables in Thua Thien Hue province. The paper provides recommendations for mitigation measures (both technological and social) in reducing potential health risks linked to pesticide use in vegetables in the region.

Investigation of the Relationship between Spontaneous Abortion, Serum Pesticides, and Polychlorinated Biphenyl Levels

“…In this study, no differences were observed regarding age, educational status, pregnancy count, history of miscarriages, dietary habits, and pre-consumption washing and cleaning habits of raw vegetables and fruits. The rate of applying any cleaning treatment before consuming raw fruits and vegetables was significantly higher in the women who had normal births [47]. Residues in agricultural products should be below permissible limits.…”

Pesticide Residues and Associated Public Health Risks in Vegetables from Irrigated Farms Adjacent to Rift Valley Lake Ziway, Ethiopia

“…Te samples were collected during the rainy season in late August 2021. It is worth mentioning that pesticide contamination is considerably higher during the wet season compared to the dry season [14]. As described by the authors, this is due to the fact that pesticides from various sources can be washed into existing ones, leading to increased contamination levels.…”

Hiệu quả của một số dạng phân hữu cơ từ phụ phế phẩm nông nghiệp lên sinh trưởng cây rau muống và cây bắp ở điều kiện nhà lưới

“…Mặt khác, canh tác an toàn đóng vai trò quan trọng trong định hướng phát triển nền nông nghiệp (Bộ Nông nghiệp và Phát triển Nông thôn, 2016). Tuy nhiên, để đạt được năng suất và lợi nhuận, trong canh tác nông nghiệp, người nông dân sử dụng thuốc bảo vệ thực vật và phân bón hóa học, thuốc kích thích sinh trưởng cây trồng với liều lượng và tần suất cao hơn khuyến cáo; do đó, dẫn đến nông sản mang dư lượng thuốc bảo vệ thực vật, phân bón và các chất độc hại khác, gây ảnh hưởng trực tiếp hoặc gián tiếp đến sức khoẻ người nông dân và người tiêu dùng (Chau et al, 2022;El-Sheikh et al, 2022;Dinede et al, 2023). Bên cạnh đó, việc lạm dụng hóa chất nông nghiệp trong canh tác cây trồng cũng làm cho đất trồng ngày càng suy thoái, nghèo dinh dưỡng, các chất độc hại tích lũy vào đất ngày càng nhiều (Châu và ctv., 2019).…”