In this study, we detected the presence of residual pesticides in 341 agricultural products collected from local food outlets in western Gyeonggi Province. Residual pesticides were detected in 105 (30.8%) samples. Six samples exceeded the legal limits for residual pesticides, resulting in a non-compliance rate of 1.8%, which was slightly higher than the average non-compliance rate of 1.4% in the last three years. Among the tested agricultural products, only fruits and vegetables were found to have pesticide residues, with 24 of 34 fruits (a detection rate of 70.6%) and 81 of 277 vegetables (a detection rate of 29.2%) testing positive. In total, 59 types of pesticides, including acetamiprid, which was detected 208 times, were detected and had a detection range of 0.01–2.38 mg/kg. Among the 105 agricultural products containing pesticide residues, a single pesticide was detected in 62 samples (59%) and two or more pesticides were detected in 43 samples (41%). In particular, 14 pesticides were detected in the same sample of peaches; dinotefuran was detected 21 times. Upon examining the toxicity of the detected pesticides, Class III pesticides (moderate toxicity) were detected 44 times (21.2%) and Class IV pesticides (low toxicity) were detected 164 times (78.8%). Class I, II, and III pesticides with fish toxicity were detected 68 (32.7%), 14 (6.7%), and 126 times (60.6%), respectively. Upon examining the exposure to high-frequency pesticide components detected five or more times, the hazard index was found to be ≤2.8%. Accordingly, the hazard of residual pesticides based on dietary intake was deemed insignificant.

The status of residual pesticides was investigated in four pepper seed oil samples and 36 pepperflavored oil samples oil distributed on the market from August to December 2022. A total of 179 pesticides were monitored in 40 samples, and 14 pesticides were detected in 39 of the samples, with a detection range of 0.01-2.16 mg/kg. In chili seed oil, 10 pesticides were detected 27 times with a range of 0.11-2.16 mg/kg, and in pepper-flavored oil, 9 pesticides were detected 94 times with a range of 0.01-0.80 mg/kg. The most frequently detected pesticides were tebuconazole, ethion, and difenoconazole, with ethion being detected in large concentrations in products using Chinese raw materials. Ethion, an unregistered pesticide in the Republic of Korea, has not been detected in the Gyeonggi-do area in the past 10 years. It is thought that the detection of ethion can be utilized as an indicator of products made in China. Peppers are a representative agricultural product for which many pesticides are used, and if the pesticides transferred to pepper seeds are not removed, the probability of detecting various types of pesticides in pepper seed oil is very high. Therefore, continuous research is needed to ensure the safety of pepper seed oil.

To investigate residual pesticide levels in agricultural products contained in Meal-kits, 27 Meal-kit products were collected from marts, Meal-kit shops, and online stores in Incheon City, South Korea. Seventy-six vegetable and thirty-seven mushroom products were analyzed for residual levels of 339 pesticides. Residual pesticides were detected in 23 out of 76 vegetables and were not present in the 37 mushroom products. The residual pesticide detection rate was 20.4% (23/ 113 cases). The pesticides famoxadone 0.034 mg/kg (standard: 0.01 mg/kg or less, PLS) and fenpyroximate 0.302 mg/kg (standard: 0.01 mg/kg or less, PLS) exceeded their maximum residue levels (MRL). This survey revealed that various types of pesticides remain in agricultural products in Meal-kits. Due to the nature of Meal-kit products, there is no separate standard for residual pesticides in agricultural products. Therefore, continuous monitoring of residual pesticides is necessary.

GC-MS/MS using liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and C18 cartridges was used to identify and quantify levels of chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, cypermethrin, deltamethrin and permethrin in bulk raw milk. A calibration curve spanning 10 ng/mL to 200 ng/mL was obtained with a satisfactory correlation coefficient of 0.99. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantitation (LOQ) for chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin in the matrix ranged from 0.06 to 1.81 ng/mL and 0.19 to 6.04 ng/mL, respectively. The recoveries of 5 pesticides from spiked samples at 37.5-125 ng/mL ranged from 86.1 to 102.1%. The measurement of uncertainty of the GC-MS/MS method for these five pesticides was developed based on the analytical process and quantification. An analysis method that is easier and faster than the method specified in the Korean food standards codes for analyzing these five pesticides in raw material milk was developed. Moreover, the analytical method for chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin in bulk raw milk by GC-MS/MS was established.

The honey bee, Apis mellifera, has a defense system, including detoxification, antioxidation, and immunity pathways, against external stimulation such as chemicals, stress, and pathogens. However, pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids and butenolids, have been recently reported to alter physiological changes in honey bee. In this study, we investigated the expression levels of eight genes categorized into detoxification (CYPQ3), antioxidation (CAT and SOD2), and immune system (Abaecin, Apidaecin, Defensin1, Defensin2, and Hymenoptaecin), in five tissues (Head, Thorax, Gut, Fat body, and Carcass) of honey bee treated with three pesticides (Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid, and Flupyradifurone) using quantitative real-time PCR. Gene expression patterns was varied depending on the type of pesticides and tissues. However, among eight genes, the expression levels of CYPQ3 was notably induced, but those of AMPs were generally reduced by all pesticides tested in this study in five tissues. These suggest that CYPQ3-mediated detoxification pathway is induced, but AMP-mediated immune system might be disrupted when honey bee is exposed to neonicotinoids and butenolid.

Pesticides are indispensable in contemporary agriculture but are mainly attributed to honey bee population decline. In order to understand the approximate physiological response to pesticides, honey bees were exposed to seven pesticides (Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid, Flupyradifurone, Carbaryl, Fenitrothion, Amitraz, and Bifenthrin), and expression changes of the genes categorized into four physiological functions (insecticide targets, immune-, detoxification-, and reactive oxygen species response-related gene) were analyzed in the head and abdomen of honey bee exposed to pesticides using quantitative PCR. Based on the heat map analysis, immune-related genes seem to be more up-regulated by pesticide exposure in head than abdomen. Among detoxification genes, only cytochrome P450 families were up-regulated in head. Interestingly, regardless of the insecticide target, expressions of Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor beta 1 and Acetylcholinesterase 1 were notably induced by pesticide exposure in head. Heat map analysis expressing the transcription profiles of various genes in the head and abdomen of the honey bee exposed to various pesticides can be used to diagnose pesticide damage in honey bees in the future.

Due to the concerns over their environmental and health impacts, there have been attempts for shift towards biorational pesticides from synthetic pesticides. Among them, plant essential oils have emerged as promising active ingredients. Due to the complex interactions among their constituents, the bioactivities of essential oils can vary depending on the compositions, which often undermine their stability in efficacy. Here, we present a model-based optimization approach to develop reliable rosemary oil-based biorational pesticide, against two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch. The ecotoxicity against Daphnia magna and foliar phytotoxicity against Phaseolus vulgaris were also evaluated. Our quadratic models accurately predicted miticidal activity, ecotoxicity, and phytotoxicity. We aimed to maximize, minimize, and minimize these parameters, respectively. We employed seven multi-objective evolutionary algorithms in Matlab. Among them, the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II with adaptive rotation based simulated binary crossover (NSGA-II-ARSBX) performed best. We experimentally determined the thresholds for miticidal activity and phytotoxicity, based on the current approval process for agricultural pesticide products in Korea. After applying the thresholds, we validated the obtained viable solutions. Our study offers a novel framework to enhance the reliable and responsible use of essential oils as biorational pesticides.

A total of 100 commercially available olive oil products were analyzed for 179 pesticide residues using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS). The olive oil samples were mixed with organic solvents, centrifuged and frozen to remove fat, and pesticide residues were analyzed using the “quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe” (QuEChERS) method. The determination coefficient (R2) of the analysis method used in this study was ≥0.998. The detection limit of the method ranged 0.004–0.006 mg/kg and its quantitative limit ranged 0.012–0.017 mg/kg. The recovery rate (n=5) measured at the level ranging 0.01–0.02, 0.1, and 0.5 mg/kg ranged 66.8– 119.5%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was determined to be ≤5.7%, confirming that this method was suitable for the "Guidelines for Standard Procedures for Preparing Food Test Methods". The results showed that a total of 151 pesticides (including difenoconazole, deltamethrin, oxyfluorfen, kresoxim-methyl, phosmet, pyrimethanil, tebuconazole, and trifloxystrobin) were detected in 64 of the 100 olive oil products. The detection range of these pesticide residues was 0.01–0.30 mg/kg. The percentage acceptable daily intake (%ADI) of the pesticides calculated using ADI and estimated daily intake (EDI) was 0.0001–0.1346, indicating that the detected pesticides were present at safe levels. This study provides basic data for securing the safety of olive oil products by monitoring pesticide residues in commercially available oilve oil products. Collectively, the analysis method used in this study can be used as a method to analyze residual pesticides in edible oils.

In order to provide basic data for preparing management standards and to verify the safety of the Chinese oak mushroom-derived moisturizing medium—which is synthesized and imported in large quantities—the presence of 321 residual pesticides, 7 heavy metals, and 3 radioactive materials was analyzed in the moisturizer samples. Examination of residual pesticides in seven moisturizing medium samples prepared using the Chinese oak mushroom and three domestic sawdust samples used for mushroom culture revealed the presence of cypermethrin and iprodione in three moisturizer samples, but the contents of these pesticides were below the standard limits. Zn was detected in ten samples, Cu was detected in nine samples, and Ni was detected in four samples, but their contents were below the standard limits. Pb, Cd, Cr, and Hg were not detected in any sample. No radioactive materials were detected in the samples. In addition, fruiting bodies of the oak mushroom were observed in each medium. Examination did not reveal the presence of any residual pesticides or harmful compounds. In this study, the use of the moisturizing medium prepared using the Chinese oak mushroom was found to be safe. As residual pesticides, heavy metals, and radioactivity—even in trace amounts—remain concentrated in the human body, continuous verification of the safety of hazardous substances and pollutants during the systematic cultivation and management of these mushrooms is required.

소면적 약용작물인 율무의 주산지인 연천에서 조명나방의 발생 양상을 조사하고, 이를 기반으로 5종의 살충제와 3종의 유기농업 자재에 대 한 포장 방제효과를 검정하였다. 조명나방의 성충은 5월부터 발생이 시작되어 10월 하순까지 총 3세대를 경과하였다. 포장시험 결과, 5종의 살충 제인 novaluron, lufenuron, spinetoram, cyclaniliprole, flufenoxuron과 3종의 유기농업 자재인 CCBP (gosam extracts 90%), LT (neem extracts 60%), JT (citronella oil 30 + derris extracts 20 + cinnamon extracts 10%)는 율무에 발생하는 조명나방에 대하여 2 지역 모두에서 높은 방제효과를 보였으며, 2배량에서도 약해가 없어 율무 전용 살충제로써 이용이 가능할 것으로 생각된다.

본 연구는 2021년 2월부터 7월까지 잡곡 106건을 수거 하여 잔류농약 실태조사를 하였다. 대형, 중소형 및 온라 인 유통매장을 중심으로 국내 잡곡 40건과 수입 잡곡 66 건을 수거하였고, GC/MSMS, GC/ECD, GC/NPD, LC/ MSMS, UPLC/PDA, HPLC/FLD를 이용하여 다종농약 다 성분분석법으로 잔류농약 341종을 분석하였다. 잔류농약 이 검출된 잡곡은 대형유통매장 1건, 중소형 유통매장 2 건, 온라인 유통매장 5건으로 총 8건(7.5%)이었고, 5건 (4.7%)에서는 농약잔류허용기준을 초과하였다. 이들 잡곡 에서는 MGK-264, chlorpyrifos, thiamethoxam, malathion, piperonyl butoxide, pirimiphos-methyl 등 6종의 농약 성분 이 검출되었다. 검출된 잡곡은 강낭콩(1건), 녹두(6건), 수 수(1건)이다. 검출된 잡곡 중 농약잔류허용기준을 초과한 품목은 수입 녹두(5건)로 미얀마산이었고, 초과한 농약 성 분은 thiamethoxam이었다.

본 연구를 통해 국내 주요 한약재인 복령의 유해물질에 대한 안전성 확립과 허용기준치 설정의 기초자료를 제공하고자 한다. 국내 유통 중인 복령 10건(국내산 5건, 중국 산 5건)에 대한 잔류농약(321종), 중금속(7종), 방사능(3종), 회분 함량을 분석하였다. 잔류농약은 국내산 1건에서만 농약 성분인 cypermethrin 0.03mg/kg이 검출되었으나 기준치 이하로 나타났다. cypermethrin은 과수 및 원예농업에서 해충 방제의 살 충제로 사용되는 성분이다. 중금속은 Hg를 제외한 Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Hg, Cr가 모든 시료에서 검출됐지만 기준치 이하로 나타났다. Cd는 중국산 1건에서 0.011 mg/kg이 검출되었다. 방사능 농도도 모든 시료에서 MDA값 이하로 나타나 불검출 수준이었으며, 회분 함량도 모든 시료에서 기준치인 1.0% 이하로 나타났다. 이번 조사에서 국내에 유통 중인 복령의 유해물질에 대한 위해성은 안전하게 나타났다. 일반적으로 버섯류는 중금속 함량이 높다고 알려져 있다. 복령은 토양 속에서 생장하는 재배 특성상 유해물질에 항시 노출되어 있으므로 재배, 저장, 유통 등 생산단계 전반에 대한 지속적인 모니터링과 체계적인 관리기준 설정이 필요할 것으로 보인다.