Mammalian Detrimental Effects of Imidacloprid Residues in Tomato Fruits

Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid pesticide, was used extensively to control whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) on tomato crop worldwide. Current study aimed to determine residue amounts of imidacloprid in tomato fruits after different time intervals of application and to evaluate their detrimental effects on white albino rats. Results revealed that the initial deposit (residue amount after 1 h of last spray application) was 0.316 mg kgG1 and decreased to 0.32, 0.23, 0.21, 0.14, 0.12 and 0.11 mg kgG1 after 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days of last spray, respectively and the half-life time was 10.16 days. Toxicity of repeated sub-lethal doses equal to 0.109, 0.116, 0.210, 0.316 and 42.5 mg kgG1 b.wt. dayG1 for 45 days were tested. Results reported herein revealed significant adverse effects on haematological (PCV (%), RBCs and WBCs), biochemical parameters (total protein (g dLG1) and glucose (mg dLG1)) and liver, kidney and cardiac function parameters of male rats at 0.316 and 42.5 mg kgG1 b.wt. dayG1. Current study highlighted that there was no residual toxicity of imidacloprid after 14 days of last application.