Abstract:
Along with the widespread use of pesticides in the world, concerns over human health
impacts are rapidly growing. There is a large body of evidence on the relationship between
the exposure to pesticides and the elevated rate of chronic diseases such as different types of
cancers, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson, Alzheimer, and amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (ALS), birth defects, and reproductive disorders. This research assessed the
health risk of pesticide residues by the dietary intake of vegetables collected from the agro based markets of Dhaka, Bangladesh. As some of the banned pesticides were also found
in vegetable samples, they may pose a higher risk because of cheaper availability and
hence the government of Bangladesh should take strong measures to control these banned
pesticides. Five organo phosphorus (chlorpyrifos, parathion, ethion, acephate, fenthion) and
two carbamate (carbaryl and carbofuran) pesticide residues were identified in twenty four
samples of two common vegetables (tomato and brinjal). The pesticide residues ranged
from below a detectable limit (< 0.01) to 0.36 mg·kg-1. Acephate, chlorpyrifos, ethion, and
carbaryl were detected in only one sample, while co-occurrence occurred twice for parathion.
Continuous monitoring and strict regulation should be enforced regarding the control of
pesticide residues in fresh vegetables and other food commodities in Bangladesh.
