Health risk assessment of selected pesticide residues in locally produced vegetables of Bangladesh

Consumption of pesticide contaminated vegetables pose a major threat to public health. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with a Photo Diode Array detector (PDA) was used to determine two organochlorines (methoxychlor and DDT), seven organophosphorus (acephate, chlorpyrifos, fenthion, fenitrothion, malathion, parathion, and ethion), two carbamate (carbaryl and carbofuran) and one pyrethroid (cypermethrin) pesticide residues in 15 samples of three common vegetables (Tomato, Lady’s Finger and Brinjal). Acephate, chlorpyrifos, fenitrothion, malathion, parathion, ethion and carbaryl residues were detected in some of the tested vegetable samples. Except chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin, all of the pesticides were found at higher levels than the corresponding MRLs in all vegetable samples. Highest percentage of samples was found contaminated with chlorpyrifos and its level ranged from BDL (<0.01 μg/ kg) to 1.03 mg/kg. The highest health index (5.7) was found for ethion in lady’s finger, whereas health index for carbaryl in tomato, chlorpyrifos and carbofuran in brinjal were 1.09, 1.97 and l.17, respectively. The present study suggests the need for strict regulation and regular scrutinizing of pesticide residues in vegetables, to protect consumers’ health.