Investigating and assessing the risk of remaining toxins in cucumbers grown in fields and greenhouses in Mazandaran Province.

To address concerns regarding the potential health risks associated with residual chemicals in food products, this study aimed to assess the concentrations of residual Benomyl, Malathion, and Diazinon in cucumbers and evaluate the associated health risks for consumers. This descriptive study involved the collection of 100 cucumber samples from both field and greenhouse cultivation in Mazandaran Province. These samples were subsequently sent to the laboratory for analysis. Following sample preparation and digestion, we determined the levels of residual Malathion, Benomyl, and Diazinon using HPLC. The results showed an average residual Malathion concentration of 2.1 ± 0.04 mg/kg in field-grown cucumbers and 2.04 ± 1.5 mg/kg in greenhouse-cultivated cucumbers. Meanwhile, the average residual Diazinon concentration was 5.1 ± 0.2 mg/kg in field samples and 4.99 ± 3.23 mg/kg in greenhouse samples. The average concentrations of residual Benomyl were found to be 0.94 ± 0.65 mg/kg in field-grown cucumbers and 0.39 ± 0.2 mg/kg in greenhouse-cultivated cucumbers. Furthermore, a health risk assessment model was employed to evaluate the cumulative risk of these residual pesticides in cucumbers. The analysis revealed that residual Benomyl levels ranged from 0 to 24.33 mg/kg, while Malathion ranged from 0 to 9.25 mg/kg, and Diazinon ranged from 0 to 6.8 mg/kg. Notably, in some areas, the average concentration of all three pesticides exceeded the guidelines set by the WHO and the European Union. Additionally, the cumulative risk assessment (represented by MOET value of 2655) indicated that the combined presence of residual Malathion, Benomyl, and Diazinon in field-cultivated cucumbers posed a health risk. Based on current per capita consumption rates, the study's health risk index results raised concerns about the safety of consuming these residual byproducts. Given the growing use of chemicals in agricultural and horticultural practices, it is imperative to monitor residual pesticides to assess dietary intake and ensure consumer safety in food production.