Organochlorine pesticide residues monitoring and human health risk evaluation in agricultural crops from Ilam Province, Southwest of Iran

The issue of food supply and security remains a major challenge and crisis for the world's growing population. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the residues of fourteen organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) was conducted and detected using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC/ECD) in sixty-one samples of twelve crops produced in ten counties within Ilam Province, southwest Iran. The samples included lentils, chickpeas, wheat, tomatoes, corn, rice, cucumbers, watermelons, melons, cantaloupes, edible (raw) vegetables, and stewed vegetables. The levels of all detected OCP residues in the twelve crop types were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by Iran and the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) (50 µg/L). Lindane, Endrin, and Heptachlor were detected at the highest concentrations of OCPs across all crops, while Methoxychlor and Endosulfan were found at the lowest levels. No prior studies have focused specifically on detecting the presence of OCPs in certain products such as lentils and chickpeas, making this study unique in its findings. The target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) were used to estimate human health risk assessment (HRA) associated with OCP residues in the samples. The results indicated that the HI value was lower than 1 in both adults and children for all samples, suggesting no considerable risk for consumers. Overall, stringent control programs, integrated pest management, quality control, and periodic monitoring of crops before they are released to the market are essential.