Search

This study aimed to investigate the residual characteristics of pesticides drifted by unmanned aerial spray according to buffer strip, windbreak, and morphological characteristics of non-target crops, suggest prevention for drift reduction, and finally conduct a risk analysis on pesticides exceeding the maximum residue limit (MRL) or uniform level (0.01 mg/kg) of the positive list system (PLS). Non-target crops were collected around the aerial sprayed area (paddy rice) in Boryeong, Seocheon, and Pyeongtaek after UAV spray. When pesticides were detected in more than three samples, Duncan's multiple range test was performed. In cases where pesticides were detected in only two samples, an independent sample t-test was conducted (p < 0.05). The drift rate of pesticides tends to decrease by up to 100% as the buffer distance from aerial sprayed area increases or when a windbreak, such as maize, is present between two locations. Thus, the reduction of drifted pesticides could be effective if both factors were applied near the UAV spray area. Moreover, the residue of drifted pesticides was found to be the highest in leafy vegetables such as perilla leaves or leaf and stem vegetables such as Welsh onion, followed by fruit vegetables and cucurbits, owing to the morphological characteristics of crops. Therefore, selecting pulse or cereal such as soybean or maize as a farm product near the UAV spray area can be considered to minimize the drift. For pesticides that exceed the MRL or PLS uniform level, %acceptable dietary intake is 0–0.81% with no risk. Additionally, employing pesticides approved for both paddy rice and farm products in UAV spraying can effectively minimize instances where MRL or PLS are exceeded. Therefore, this study aims to provide farmers with effective guidelines for mitigating drift. Furthermore, we strive to promote stable and uninterrupted food production while facilitating the utilization of agricultural technologies such as UAV spraying to address labor shortages and ensure sustainable food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tenebrio molitor larva (mealworms) has recently attracted attention as a protein source for food and feed. The larva is generally fed with wheat bran, which can be possibly contaminated with glyphosate. To establish food safe standards, a rugged and effective analytical method for glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid, glufosinate, and their metabolites including 3-methylphosphinico-propionic acid, and N-acetyl glufosinate, in mealworms was optimized using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. An anionic polar pesticide column was used due to its high suitability for glyphosate. Acidified water and acetonitrile were used to extract the target compounds without contribution from various fatty and pigment interferences derived from brownish insects. Seven different clean-up procedures ((1) 50 mg C18 (2) 20 mg C18/Z-sep (3) PRiME hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) cartridge (4) 75 mg Z-sep, (5) 75 mg Z-sep+, (6) EMR-lipid cartridge, and (7) 50 mg ENVI-Carb) were compared. Due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, PRiME HLB was selected for clean-up. The recoveries of the target compounds were ranged from 86 to 96% with < 20% relative standard deviations. Therefore, this simple and effective method can be applied for the two pesticides and their metabolites in other edible insects or high-fat matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to determine the characteristics of residual pesticides of pyraclostrobin (22.9% emulsifiable concentrate [EC]) and trifloxystrobin (22% suspension concentrate [SC]) in red pepper powder and to determine the processing and reduction factors in red pepper powder during processing. The pesticides were sprayed twice onto red pepper cultivated in an open field at intervals of 10 days at the recommended and double doses according to the dilution rate of Korean pre-harvest interval (PHI), and then, the samples were collected. The collected samples were processed by two drying methods, hot air drying in an oven and sunlight drying in a greenhouse without washing, and the samples were analyzed. Recoveries of test pesticides were found to be 70-120% in red pepper and its processed products. Water contents ranged from 79 to 82% in red pepper and from 14 to 16% in dried red pepper. The results of pesticide residue analysis showed that the residual concentration of test pesticides in red pepper dried using the two drying methods was not significantly different. The processing factors of pyraclostrobin and trifloxystrobin in dried red pepper ranged from 4.7 to 5.5 and from 3.7 to 5.4, respectively, indicating that the residual concentration in dried red pepper was increased by drying. However, the reduction factors, which corrected the water content of red pepper, were in the range of 1.0-1.2 and 0.8-1.2, indicating that the amount (ng) of residual pesticides was not different between red pepper and its processed product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]