UHPLC-MS/MS-Based Dietary Risk Assessment of Lufenuron Residues in Chinese Cabbage

A sensitive analytical method that allows for the assessment of the deposition, degradation, and terminal concentration of lufenuron in cabbages was developed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The researchers involved then employed both deterministic and probabilistic models to evaluate the multi-model dietary risk of lufenuron in cabbage, categorizing exposed populations by region, age, and gender. A paper based on this research was published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (1).

A cruciferous leafy vegetable widely cultivated across the globe, global cabbage production reached 726.0 million tons in 2022, harvested from 2.33 million hectares worldwide, with China standing out as one of the globe’s leading producers of the crop (2,3). However, China’s cabbage production is mainly export-oriented, reaching an export volume of 737.28 thousand tons (4). Cabbage, being rich in essential nutrients such as vitamin C and vitamin K, is one of the world’s most nutritious vegetables, and is a significant contributor to enhanced immunity, bone health, and blood coagulation, as well as a source of a variety of compounds which have been known to display noteworthy medicinal value, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties (5,6).

Cabbage is highly susceptible to diseases, with a variety of pests that cause significant damage by invading crops during various growth stages, ultimately resulting in substantial losses in field yield (7,8). The extensive application of pesticides to combat these and other pests has led to significant degradation of soil health which seriously impacts ecological balance and human health (9,10). This has created a need for the reduction of the risk of pesticide contamination on a global scale, with low-toxicity insecticides and acaricide benzoylurea being used more widely to combat pests resistant to pyrethroids and organophosphorus pesticides and generally being regarded as safer for both applicators and crops (11,12).

Lufenuron is a recently developed benzoylurea chitin synthesis inhibitor that inhibits new cuticle synthesis, thereby affecting the growth and development of pest larvae, which can ultimately lead to the death of insects during molting (13–15). Notably, lufenuron exposure during rat organogenesis elicited teratogenic effects, histopathological changes and genotoxic stress in both fetuses and mothers, a finding which suggests that there are significant potential risks to pregnant women and developing fetuses, leading to the hypothesis that the long-term irrational use of lufenuron may inevitably cause certain risks to human and ecological environment (16).

Cabbage samples for this research (2 kg/plot) were collected from across 12 major Chinese cabbage-producing regions from 2020 to 2021, with each site exhibiting specific crop varieties, climate conditions, and physical and chemical properties of the soil. Samples were chosen from non-edge areas of each plot, and intact, disease-free heads with firm texture were selected for study. After crushing the cabbage samples to a size of < 1 cm, they were then divided using the quartering method and placed in sealed sample bags which were immediately stored in a refrigerator at −20°C after labeling. (1).

The deterministic model assessed that the total chronic dietary risk quotient (RQ%) for lufenuron across seven crops in China ranged from 24.996% to 77.538%, among which cabbage contributed 0.685%. Additionally, comparative analysis revealed that the 50th percentile RQ% derived from probabilistic modeling (1.074%–3.033%) displayed the closest alignment with deterministic results (0.177%–0.500%). The dietary exposure assessment showed noticably higher risks in rural areas (0.177%–0.381%) than in urban areas (0.221%–0.500%), with rural females aged 4–6 years exhibiting the peak ADI% (0.500%) which substantially surpassed all other demographic groups tracked (1).

The researchers expressed the hope that the focus of future research should be concentrated on the dietary health of children, the age group in the highest risk category. Furthermore, the diversification of dietary patterns amplifies chronic dietary risks, which, in their opinion, necessitates consistent emphasis on possible hazards as agricultural chemical usage escalates (1).

References

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