Risk of Pesticides Mixtures in Rice to Birds and Humans in Iran

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Food Safety
• Toxicology

Background:

• Rice is a global staple food, with pesticide use common for increasing crop yields.
• Organophosphate insecticides and herbicides are widely used in agriculture.
• Assessing pesticide residue risks in food is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate pesticide residues in rice from southwest Iran.
• To evaluate the health risks posed by these residues to birds and humans.
• To compare detected pesticide levels against established safety limits.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 14 organophosphate insecticides and 2 herbicides in rice samples from five locations.
• Quantification of pesticide residues and comparison with Iranian National Standards.
• Risk assessment for avian and human consumers based on residue concentrations and established safety thresholds.

Main Results:

• Rice samples contained residues of 10–13 different pesticides.
• Mean concentrations of 12 pesticides exceeded maximum residue limits at multiple sites.
• While risks to birds were low, cumulative human health risk from pesticide mixtures exceeded safety levels in all samples.

Conclusions:

• Pesticide contamination in Iranian rice necessitates mitigation strategies for human consumers.
• Further research on pesticide residues in other Iranian crops is recommended.
• The study underscores the importance of monitoring and regulating pesticide use in staple crops.