Determination of tricyclazole fungicide in rice using lc-ms/ms and its risk assessment

An analytical method using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) along with QuEChERS method of sample preparation was developed and validated for the determination of tricyclazole residues in rice. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the method was 0.002 μg g⁻¹. The average recovery was in the range of 91.21 to 99.75 per cent with relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 10 per cent for the spiked concentrations at 0.002, 0.01 and 0.02 μg g⁻¹. The method was successfully applied to analyse rice samples collected from the local markets. Residues of tricyclazole were detected in 45 per cent of the samples, of which 31.37 per cent contained it above the maximum residue level (MRL, 0.01 mg kg⁻¹) fixed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Assessment of the human risk suggested that the rice at the contaminated detected levels has minimal contribution to toxicological risks as it recorded hazard index value of less than 1. However, precautionary measures for the consumer safety are suggested. The present method could be adopted for monitoring tricyclazole residues in rice samples.