A Nationwide Study of Residual Fate of Fluxapyroxad and Its Metabolites in Peanut Crops Across China: Assessment of Human Exposure Potential

Abstract

Elaborating on the residual fate of fluxapyroxad and its metabolites based on their nationwide application was vital to protect the human population from their hazardous effects. In this study, a rapid and sensitive analytical method was developed to trace fluxapyroxad and two of its metabolites in peanut matrices using an ultrahigh chromatography method coupled with mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) within 3.5 min. The occurrence, pharmacokinetic degradation and terminal magnitudes of fluxapyroxad were reflected in the original deposition of 8.41–38.15 mg/kg, half–lives of 2.5–8.6 d and final concentrations of 0.004–37.38 mg/kg in peanut straw. The total concentrations of fluxapyroxad in peanut straw (0.04–39.28 mg/kg) were significantly higher than those in peanut kernels (<0.001–0.005 mg/kg) and an obvious concentration effect was observed in fresh (0.01–11.56 mg/kg) compared dried peanut straw (0.04–38.97 mg/kg). Fluxapyroxad was demethylated to 3–(difluoromethyl)–N–(3′,4′,5′–trifluoro[1,1′–biphenyl]–2–yl)–1H–pyrazole–4–carboxamide (M700F008, 0.02–5.69 mg/kg) and further N–glycosylated to 3–(difluoromethyl)–1–(ß–D–glucopyranosyl)–N–(3′,4′,5′–triflurobipheny–2–yl)–1H–pyrzaole–4–carboxamide (M700F048, 0.04–39.28 mg/kg).The risk quotients of the total fluxapyroxad for the urban groups were significantly higher than those for the rural groups, and were both negatively correlated with the age of the groups, although both acute (ARfD%, 0.006–0.012%) and chronic (ADI%, 0.415–1.289%) risks are acceptable for the human population. The high-potential health risks of fluxapyroxad should be continuously emphasized for susceptible toddlers (1–3 years), especially those residing in urban areas.