Residues, drivers, and health implications of herbicides in typical black soil regions of China: Soil-crop system linkage and targeted human risk.

Herbicide residues in China's black soil regions pose high ecological risks and non-carcinogenic health risks, with 8 herbicides exceeding risk thresholds and residues in rice grains affecting both adults and children.

• Why it matters: Herbicide accumulation threatens ecosystems and human health, yet systematic data on residue levels, ecological risks, and health implications in black soil agricultural systems are limited, hindering effective management.
• What they did: Researchers conducted regional-scale surveys detecting 54 herbicides in soil and 21 in crop grains, analyzing how soil properties and crop types influence residue patterns, and assessing ecological and human health risks.
• The result: Findings suggest that long-term rice consumption may cause adverse non-cancer health effects due to fomesafen residues, emphasizing the need for integrated risk management strategies to ensure sustainable herbicide use and protect public health.