Monitoring Multiclass Pesticide Residues in Tomato, Cabbage, and Brinjal from Dharwad District, India, Using QuEChERS and LC-MS/MS: Implications for Food Safety

Abstract

Abstract

Pesticide residues in vegetables are an important concern for food safety and public health. In the present study, vegetables, viz., tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), brinjal (Solanum melongena) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) samples were collected from two farmers’ fields in Dharwad district, Karnataka during 2025 and analysed for pesticide residues using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The sample preparation was carried out using the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) method with acetate buffering following AOAC Official Method 2007.01. The LC-MS/MS technique enabled sensitive and reliable detection of multiple pesticide residues. In samples from the first farmer’s field, 29 pesticide residues were detected in tomato, 19 in cabbage and 17 in brinjal, whereas samples from the second farmer’s field contained 18 pesticide residues in tomato, 17 in cabbage and 16 in brinjal. In tomato samples, carbendazim recorded the highest residue concentration (0.076 mg kg⁻¹), followed by spiromesifen and indoxacarb. In cabbage samples, relatively fewer pesticide residues were detected, with acephate and flonicamid showing comparatively higher concentrations. In brinjal, several pesticide residues were detected, although in relatively lower numbers compared to tomato. The highest residue level recorded was diflubenzuron (0.027 mg kg⁻¹) followed by emamectin benzoate (0.008 mg kg⁻¹), buprofezin (0.006 mg kg⁻¹) and thiodicarb (0.006 mg kg⁻¹). The recorded diflubenzuron concentration (0.027 mg kg⁻¹) in the first farmer’s brinjal sample was greater than the cited comparison value (0.01 mg kg⁻¹); the applicable commodity-specific MRL requires verification.