# Determination of Pesticide Residues in Fresh Fruits in the Serbian Market by LC-MS/MS

## TL;DR

This study analyzed pesticide residues in fruits from the Serbian market and found that over 60% of samples had detectable pesticide levels, with some exceeding legal limits.

## Contribution

A comprehensive 4-year survey of pesticide residues in fruits using LC-MS/MS, revealing high contamination rates and multiple pesticide occurrences.

## Key findings

- 62.57% of fruit samples had pesticide residues at or above 0.01 mg/kg.
- 4.67% of samples exceeded maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by Serbian regulations.
- Imazalil was the most frequently detected pesticide, with grapefruit samples showing the highest concentration.

## Abstract

The concentrations of pesticide residues were determined in 2164 samples of 46 fruit species, collected over a 4-year period. Fruits originated from 59 countries, including Serbia (N = 199). Pesticide residues were determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) after extraction using a modified QuEChERS protocol. A total of 173 pesticide residues were detected. Of the fruit samples, 62.57% had pesticide residues at or above 0.01 mg/kg, and 4.67% exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by the Serbian regulation. MRL values were most often exceeded in pomegranate and citrus fruits (grapefruit and mandarin). The most frequently found pesticide was imazalil (detected in 624 samples, 28.84%), with the highest concentration (93.870 mg/kg) found in a grapefruit sample. Multiple pesticides were detected in 50.92% of the fruit samples, and two grapefruit samples contained up to 44 pesticide residues.