ABSTRACT This study optimized and validated a modified QuEChERS–LC–MS/MS method for the simultaneous detection of six neonicotinoid pesticides in green chili samples from Dhaka markets. Acetonitrile (ACN) was used to extract the pesticides, and the method was optimized for sample cleanup using dispersive solid‐phase extraction (10 mg GCB, 50 mg PSA, and 20 mg C 18 ). The pesticides showed strong linearity over a wide concentration range (1.0–500 µg/L), with correlation coefficients ( R 2 ≥ 0.9981). The developed method showed excellent sensitivity, with LODs ranging from 1.11 to 5.55 µg/kg and LOQs from 3.33 to 16.67 µg/kg and recovery rates ranging from 80.1% to 86.7% across four different spiking levels (50, 100, 200, and 500 µg/kg) with relative standard deviations (RSDs) ≤ 5.1%. The method was applied to 60 green chili samples, where residues of four pesticides, acetamiprid, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam were detected. The health risk assessment revealed that pesticide residues in green chilies are unlikely to cause significant short‐ or long‐term health risks for adults. However, for children, dinotefuran presented a considerable short‐term exposure risk, with acute hazard index, aHI% values exceeding 100%. In addition, both dinotefuran and thiamethoxam posed elevated risks for children under long‐term exposure conditions.
Islam et al. (Wed,) studied this question.