Monitoring and dietary exposure assessment of pesticide residues in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) in Hainan, China

- 20 kinds of pesticides were analyzed in 433 pieces of fresh cowpea from Hainan, China.
- Cyperthrin was the most frequently detected pesticide in cowpea in 2012 and 2013.
- Dietary exposure assessment was performed by point estimate and probabilistic modeling.

To monitor pesticide residues in cowpea and assess the potential public health risk, 433 fresh cowpea samples from Hainan province (2012 and 2013) were collected and the presence of 20 organophosphoate, carbamate and pyrethroid was determined. A screening analysis consisting of a dietary exposure assessment of pesticide residue was performed using a deterministic approach-point estimate of exposure. The results indicated the most important residues were triazophos, carbofuran, isocarbophos, phoxim and omethoate. The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of those pesticides were 72.89%, 27.45%, 12.35%, 12.19% and 9.15% of Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) respectively. Then a probabilistic approach applied on the residues of concern demonstrated that exposure from triazophos exceeded the ADI at P99.9. A relative potency factors method was employed to ascertain that exposure to triazophos is a cause for concern.