Type B trichothecenes, pesticides, and heavy metals in wheat in Shandong, China: Occurrence and risk assessment

Abstract

Wheat is a staple food for about 35 % of the world’s population, but it is susceptible to contamination by various substances. Ensuring the quality and safety of wheat is vital for protecting public health and maintaining consumer confidence. In this work, we collected 350 wheat samples from Shandong, China in 2020 and 2021 and determined the occurrence of type B trichothecenes, pesticides, and heavy metals. A probabilistic analysis based on Monte Carlo simulation was then used to assess the potential health risks of the measured substances, quantified by the hazard quotient (HQ) and the hazard index (HI) values. Deoxynivalenol (DON) was detected in 50 % of the collected wheat samples. Carbendazim, tebuconazole, and imidachloprid were the most detected pesticides. More than 70 % of the wheat samples exhibited heavy metal contamination. For children, the mean HI of trichothecenes was 1.06, and the HQ of DON and its acetyl derivatives at the 95th percentile was 1.13, which indicated notable health risk. The mean HI of pesticides was 0.89, and the HI of pesticides at the 95th percentile was 1.02. For adults, the mean HI of trichothecenes was 0.49, but the HI trichothecenes reached 1.04 and 1.33 at the 90th and 95th percentile, respectively. The mean HI of pesticides was 0.43, and the HI of pesticides at the 95th percentile was 0.78. For both children and adults, the non-carcinogenic risks of heavy metals were trivial, but there was probably carcinogenic risk from Cr. When substances across categories were considered in aggregate, the mean HI reached 1.95 for children, and the HI at the 75th percentile was 1.03 for adults. In view of the cumulative risk, environmentally sustainable pest and disease prevention and control techniques are needed for wheat cultivation in Shandong.