Monitoring of imidacloprid residues in fresh fruits and vegetables from the central parts of Jordan

Imidacloprid pesticide is widely utilized in agriculture due to its effectiveness in controlling a broad spectrum of insect pests. However, its usage has raised concerns about potential environmental impacts, and requires careful monitoring and responsible application to ensure sustainable agricultural practices. Thus, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized to analyze imidacloprid in 300 vegetable and fruit samples obtained from 15 major wholesalers in four regions of Amman, Jordan's capital city. Among the examined samples, 39.7 % were found to be contaminated with imidacloprid residues. Imidacloprid levels in different edible fruits and vegetables ranged from less than the Limit of Quantification (LOQ) to 0.40 mg kg(−1). Significantly, eggplant and apples exhibited the highest average values (0.40 and 0.25 mg kg(−1), respectively). Lower levels were detected in bananas (0.04 mg kg(−1)), potatoes (0.05 mg kg(−1)), grapes (0.07 mg kg(−1)), and cabbage (0.07 mg kg(−1)). Imidacloprid was below the method detection limit (BD) in samples of okra, peaches, apricots, and carrots. Overall, 25 samples (8.3 %) exceeded the Codex maximum residue limit (MRL) for imidacloprid. Moreover, 8 out of the 300 samples (2.7 %) exceeded the MRL established by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Notably, the fruits of eggplant and apple contained the highest residual levels (1.30 and 0.83 mg kg(−1), respectively), markedly exceeding the CODEX and PMRA MRLs. Additionally, the maximum detected imidacloprid residue concentration in bananas (0.25 mg kg(−1)) was 500 % higher than the CODEX MRLs. The estimated average daily intake (EDI) of the Amman population varied from 0.00 to 0.144 μg kg(−1) body weight day(−1) across various products. The hazard index (HI) for imidacloprid ranged from 0.00 to 0.24, all of which were below unity in all samples (<1). In conclusion, this investigation reveals low HI levels of imidacloprid residues in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. However, the significant presence of imidacloprid residues in some samples highlights the urgent need for comprehensive measures to limit potential health hazards to consumers.