Investigation of the Residue Levels of Pesticides in the Rice Produced in Mazandaran Province in the Controlled Cultivation Method in 2022

Abstract

Background and purpose: The employment of pesticides for the prevention, elimination, and reduction of pests detrimental to agricultural products throughout various stages of crop cultivation is essential for improving the health of these products; nevertheless, pests remain a critical factor in the degradation and destruction of agricultural goods, posing a threat to food security. Even though the deployment of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in modern agricultural practices considerably boosts agricultural output. However, it should be noted that excessive and inappropriate use of pesticides in agricultural product production and failure to consider factors affecting their residue levels can result in pesticide residues in these products exceeding the maximum allowable limit set by national and international standards (Maximum Residue Limit), which is considered a risk factor for human health and environmental pollution. Due to the increasingly widespread use of pesticides in agriculture, this issue has become a significant topic in food safety. Despite various methods being used to assess the potential risks of pesticides to human health and the environment and to control their consumption, efforts to reduce the use of pest control poisons to minimize the risk to human health and the environment remain challenging and a valuable goal. Additionally, since rice is considered a major source of energy supply, studying pesticide residues in rice to protect consumer health is always significant. As this product is considered a strategic product in Mazandaran province, this research was conducted to examine the level of pesticide residues in rice produced in Mazandaran province. Materials and methods: In the cross-sectional residues of pesticides in the rice produced in Sari County in areas where the type, and method of pesticide use are monitored by the Agricultural Jihad Organization, the Agricultural Research Center, and Natural Resources of Mazandaran Province were investigated. In this study, 15 samples of rice were examined. Each sample of about 1 kilogram of each product was transferred to the Food Control Laboratory of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, and the consumption and residue levels of consumed toxins were identified using the GC-MS method. 200 types of pesticides, which were recognized as authorized and unauthorized pesticides for use in rice according to the national monitoring report of the Food and Drug Organization and ISIRI, were selected and their residues were evaluated. Results: The analysis results of 15 samples of rice from monitored areas in Sari County showed that none of the 200 types of authorized and unauthorized pesticides had any residue in the products under investigation. Conclusion: Although no pesticide residues were observed in the present study, it should be noted that pesticide residues in the bran of the samples under investigation were not evaluated. Considering that bran enters the human food chain through animal feed, controlled pesticide consumption can still have indirect effects on human health and food intake. Also, in the cultivation of the above products, pesticides have been used, which in controlled amounts can contaminate soil and water. Given the emphasis on reducing pesticide consumption and replacing it with Integrated Crop Management (ICM) methods, the goal of this research and practitioners is to continue to educate and support farmers to move towards ICM in the next stages, taking a higher step toward human health, environmental preservation, and reducing costs associated with pesticide use.

Keywords

• pesticides
• chemical fertilizers
• chemical residues
• integrated crop management
• rice.