Assessment of Pesticide Residues on Selected Vegetables of Pakistan

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine the pesticide residues on selected summer vegetables. Five vegetables were grown with three replicates in a split plot randomized complete block design. Pesticides were sprayed on vegetables thrice at regular intervals each after 15 days. At maturity the pesticides residues were extracted from edible and leaf portions using anhydrous sodium sulfate and ethyl acetate while adsorption chromatography technique was used for cleanup. The extracts were subjected to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for separation and analysis of the compounds. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found in the pesticides residues on edible portions whereas highly significant differences (p<0.001) were observed for the leafy portions. The residual level of cypermethrin was highest (16.2 mgkg⁻¹) in edible portion of bitter gourd, while Lambdacyhalothrin and Mancozeb residues were detected high (4.50 mgkg-1, 6.26 mgkg-1) in edible portion of bitter gourd and Cucumber respectively. Cypermethrin residues were high (1.86 mgkg⁻¹) in Okra leaves. Mancozeb and Lambdacyhalothrin residual level was high (1.23mgkg⁻¹, and 0.0002 mgkg⁻¹) in chili and tomato leaves. Cypermethrin residues were readily detected in edible and leaf portion of the selected vegetables.