HEALTH RISK RELATED TO THE INTAKE OF PESTICIDES IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

The present research was conducted to assess the health risk associated with consumption of vegetables and fruits contaminated with pesticides by the population of the Republic of Moldova. Pesticide residues were determined in four vegetable crops and three fruit crops, namely: tomato, cucumber, eggplant, head cabbage, apple, plum, and grapes. Obtained results indicate that concentration levels exceeding their Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) were detected in 6% of apple samples, in 8% of samples of head cabbage and in 5% of samples of plums. The most detectable pesticides were dimethoat, captan, carbendazim, acetamiprid, copper, and cymoxanil. The MRL exceedance for dimethoat, tebufenpyrad, phosalone, carbendazim, indoxacarb was registered (31% of all detected pesticides). The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) have been estimated between 0.000015 and 0.0012 mg/kg of body weight/day. The calculated hazard indices (estimated daily intake/acceptable daily intake [EDI/ADI]) ranged from 0.00041 and 0.42 for the analyzed pesticides. The highest value of hazard index for detected pesticides was calculated for a dimethoate – 0.42. We conclude that the long-term consumption of vegetables and fruits does not pose a health risk for the population of Republic of Moldova.