Exploring residue profiles and risk assessment of azoxystrobin and chlorothalonil in peas (Pisum sativum L.)

Azoxystrobin and chlorothalonil are widely utilised fungicides in agriculture for the control of fungal diseases; however, their residues in food may present health hazards, necessitating thorough monitoring. This research examines the dissipation trends and dietary risk associated with azoxystrobin and chlorothalonil residues in peas. The QuEChERS approach was employed for extraction and clean-up, followed by Gas chromatography-micro Electron Capture Detector (GC-µECD) analysis. Validation of the method confirmed its specificity, linearity, matrix effect, accuracy, precision, and robustness, with detection and quantification limits set at 0.003 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. The initial residue concentrations in pea pods at the suggested dosage were recorded at 0.350 mg/kg for azoxystrobin and 0.228 mg/kg for chlorothalonil, which increased to 0.408 mg/kg and 0.388 mg/kg when applying 1.25 times the recommended dosage. Residue levels in green peas were lower, showing values of 0.022 mg/kg for azoxystrobin and 0.017 mg/kg for chlorothalonil at the advised dosage, and 0.063 mg/kg and 0.030 mg/kg at the higher dosage. Acute Hazard Index (aHI) values remained below 100%, indicating that acute dietary risks are considered acceptable, while Hazard Quotient (HQ) values under 1 imply that chronic dietary exposure stays within safe boundaries. These findings establish that the dietary risks fall within acceptable limits, ensuring the safety of consumers.