Possible Genotoxic Effects of Post-Harvest Fungicides Applied on Citrus Peels: Imazalil, Pyrimethanil, Thiabendazole and Their Mixtures

Abstract

Post-harvest fungicides are frequently used on citrus peels to reduce post-harvest fungal contamination during the storage and transport of products. Despite these positive effects, fungicides can pose health risks to consumers. The aim of our study was to perform a genotoxicological risk assessment of imazalil, pyrimethanil, thiabendazole and their mixtures used as post-harvest treatments. A Salmonella mutagenicity Ames test and comet assay were performed to detect reverse mutation and assess DNA damage. Base-pair, frameshift mutations and metabolic activity were analyzed using the Ames test. In the comet assay, lymphocytes were treated with fungicides for 4 and 24 h. Thiabendazole was found to induce both frameshift and base-pair mutations in the Ames test despite the mutagenicity of both imzalil and pyrimethanil (p < 0.05). DNA-strand breaks were observed in lymphocytes, mainly with dimethyl-sulfoxide solvent fungicides (p < 0.05). The long-term exposure and consumption of fruits and vegetables treated with fungicides can increase the risks of developing genotoxic tumors. Our findings raise new questions about the health risks of fungicides and their mixtures to consumers. Further investigations are essential to explore the genotoxicological effects of fungicides on citrus peels.