Pesticide residues in market foods in Shaanxi Province of China in 2010

► The concentrations of OP pesticides were determined by gas chromatography in 13 of 285 vegetables in Shaanxi Province of China. ► OP total detection rate was 0.34%, increased in the leafy vegetables banned omethoate, phorate, methidathion, ethoprophos were detectable in vegetables. ► Banned dicofol detection rate was 1.05%, detectable in green pepper and chives. ► Pyrethroid detection rate 2.41%, indicating the pyrethroid dominated widely used in the local. ► Residues of two or more pesticides were found in 6.0% vegetables. The aim of this study was to investigate the pesticide residues in market vegetables in Shaanxi Province of China. The concentrations of 33 pesticides were determined by gas chromatography (GC) in 285 samples. Ten organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) were found in concentrations ranging from 0.004 to 0.257mg/kg. The mean levels of omethoate, phorate, chlorpyrifos, methidathion, ethoprophos in vegetables exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs) allowed by the Ministry of Health, of China. Other detectable OP pesticide residues levels were below their MRLs. Dicofol were detectable in green pepper and chives samples. Five pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) were detectable in vegetable samples respectively. The results provide useful information on the current contamination status of a key agricultural area in China, and point to the need for urgent action to control the excessive use of some chemicals.