Cucurbits contribute significantly to global food and are economically important for farm lands and greenhouses in Iran. The present study assessed the probabilistic risk posed to Iranian consumers through oral exposure to a mixture of pesticides and metals by consumption of cucurbit crops. A total of 180 samples of cucurbit crops including cucumber, courgette, pumpkin, Persian melon, watermelon, and melon were collected from different farm lands (i.e. open fields, 90 samples) and greenhouses (90 samples) in Iran and levels of pesticides and metals were quantified by GC-MS and ICP-OES, respectively. The mean levels of Cd, As, and Ni were above reference dose (RfD) in farmland crops, whereas only Ni levels were above RfD in greenhouse crops. In general, metals mean levels in farmland crops were statistically higher compared to greenhouse cucurbits. Concerning pesticides, in farmland crops, mean concentrations of carbaryl, methomyl, diazinon, malathion, and methamidophos were above the maximum residue limits (MRLs), while in greenhouse crops diazinon and methamidophos were above MRLs. Estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and hazard index (HI) for metals reflected no health risk for both farmland and greenhouse crops. Based on probabilistic assessment, HI values for carbamates, pyrethroids, and organophosphorus contents in cucurbit crops from farmlands and greenhouses at the 50th, 80th and 95th centiles, indicated no risk for Iranian consumers. Agricultural policies should be updated by using the cultivars types with minimum contaminants-accumulation and raise the general awareness of Iranian farmers about careful use of pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural practices.

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