Pesticide residues in green-house cucumber, cantaloupe, and melon samples from Iran: A risk assessment by Monte Carlo Simulation

This research aims to analyze 56 pesticide residues in 100 green-house cucumber and 150 cantaloupe and melon samples collected from markets in Iran by Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction method based on analysis with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). In addition, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic probabilistic health risk assessments were evaluated by Hazard Quotient (HQ), Hazard Index (HI), and Carcinogenic Risk (CR) based on the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. According to Iranian regulation, 18% of cucumber and 22% of cantaloupe and melon samples were contaminated by at least one pesticide. Arrange pesticides based on HQ ranking was diazinon > thiacloprid > imidacloprid tebuconazole for cucumbers and chlorpyrifos > thiacloprid > imidacloprid > metalaxyl for cantaloupes and melons. In addition, HI for adults was 0.067 in cucumber and 0.24 in cantaloupe and melon; and for children, 0.30 in cucumber and 0.60 in cantaloupe and melon. Arrange pesticides based on CR ranking was thiacloprid > imidacloprid > metalaxyl > chlorpyrifos > tebuconazole > diazinon. However, CR was more than 1.0E-6 value due to thiacloprid, so consumers were at considerable carcinogenic risk in these commodities.