DETERMINATION OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN TOMATOES TAKEN PERIODICALLY FROM CANAKKALE (TURKEY) PUBLIC MARKET USING QUECHERS EXTRACTION METHOD IN LC-MS/MS AND GC-MS/MS INSTRUMENTS

A total of 108 tomato samples were collected from the public market every two weeks for eight months and analysed for the presence of 283 pesticides by using the QuEChERS extraction method in LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS instruments. More than half (63%) of all samples included 37 different pesticides in detectable levels and 22% (24samples) the single and 42% (45samples) multiple pesticide residues. The seven different pesticide residues found in 12% of the samples exceeded their MRLs. Besides, in the one sample, the cyproconazole residue was 8 times more than its MRL, the residues of bromo-propylate and omethoate were 9 times their MRL values, and particularly the residues of formetanate HCL in 2 samples were 76 and 79 times of its MRL. As a result, the present study indicated that tomato consumers are at risk and that needed more precise monitoring of pesticide use in agriculture for sustainable public health.