Risk assessment of organophosphate pesticides for chilli consumption in chilli farm area, Ubonrachathani province, Thailand

Abstract

Risk assessment of organophosphate pesticides exposure was investigated in chilli consumption from October 2010 to February 2011 at Hua Rua sub-district, Ubonratchathani. Questionnaire-based, socio-demographic, and dietary surveys were completed by face-to-face interviewing among 110 local people (45 males and 65 females). The result showed that the age of participants ranged from 15 to 79 years. The average weight (±standard deviation) was 57±10 kg. The average chilli intake rate of people in this area was 0.018 kg/day which was higher than the average of general Thai people (0.005 kg/day). For determination of pesticide residue in chilli, thirty-three chilli samples were extracted followed QuEChERS method and analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with flame photometric detector. Chlorpyrifos and profenofos contaminated chilli with range of <0.010-1.380 mg/kg and 0.520-6.290 mg/kg were detected, respectively. Among all samples, 27% and 15% samples were found chlorpyrifos and profenofos contamination over MRLs, respectively. To evaluate potential health risk regarding chilli consumption, average daily dose (ADD) of chlorpyrifos and profenofos were 1.07 x 10⁻⁴ mg/kg-day and 8.00 x 10⁻⁴ mg/kg-day, respectively. The results indicated that the local chilli consumers exposure to profenofos was higher than that of chlorpyrifos. To characterize non-carcinogenic risk, hazard quotient (HQ) ratio was applied. The HQ for chlorpyrifos of the local people in this area was in the acceptable risk level (HQ<1.0) while the HQ for profenofos was over the acceptable risk level (HQ>1.0). It was found that the reasonable maximum exposure of profenofos (95th percentile) and maximum levels were 45- and 110-times higher than the reference dose (RfD), respectively. It is suggested that appropriated risk management should be hastily implemented in Hua Rua area to reduce the risk due to the consumption of pesticide residues on chilli.