Residue and dietary risk assessment of glyphosate, glufosinate-ammonium, and their metabolites in maize and soybean

Persistent weed growing in herbicide-resistant maize and soybean fields is controlled increasingly by glyphosate (GLY) and glufosinate-ammonium (GLU). There is increasing concern that consumers may be exposed to herbicide residues. A Total of 224 samples involved supervised trials and market sampling were carried out. And the levels of GLY and GLU were determined in maize and soybean samples by UPLC MS/MS method. The residues of GLY and GLU were at a low level in all samples and ranged from <0.04 to 0.29 mg/kg and <0.04 to 0.91 mg/kg, respectively. Deterministic and probabilistic models were used to assess the dietary risk, and the highest risk quotient (RQ) values of GLY and GLU were 2.24 x 10(-4) and 3.27 x 10(-2), respectively. The RQs of GLU are significantly higher than that of GLY. Risk assessment results showed that GLY and GLU residues should not pose serious health risks to Chinese consumers.

Automated summary

Glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium are used to control persistent weeds in herbicide-resistant maize and soybean fields. The residue levels of these herbicides in Chinese maize and soybean samples are low and not expected to pose serious health risks to Chinese consumers.