RESIDUES DETERMINATION OF METHOMYL AND PROFENOFOS INSECTICIDES IN FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ......

Pesticides are widely utilised around the world because they are deemed economically significant for boosting agricultural product quality and quantity. According to the Egyptian Agricultural Ministry, the insecticides profenofos (organophosphorus) and methomyl (carbamate) are commercially available in Egypt and are used for foliar treatments of fruits and vegetables. Higher residues in vegetables and fruits pose a significant risk. As a result, the current study aims to address the problem of a lack of a rapid, cost-effective, and high-quality analytical method for detecting pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables and obtaining residue removal treatment that is suitable for organisations, exporters, consumer groups, and housewives. In comparison to UV Spectrophotometer and HPLC, the results showed that the AChE approach as a biosensor of the studied pesticide residues was the most sensitive. The average insecticide residues in different samples assessed by AChE approach were 9.15 and 5.39 times higher for methomyl and 8.08 and 5.46 times higher for profenofos, respectively, than those obtained by UV Spectrophotometer and HPLC. Furthermore, the investigated biosensors based on AChE inhibition are very sensitive, have a fast detection time, are long-lasting, and are well-suited for application as disposable sensors. In contrast, our findings showed that washing with tap water removed roughly 50% of the profenofos residue and that all treatments eliminated greater than 75% of the methomyl residue in all samples. Furthermore, washing treated samples with acetic acid solution (1%) or sodium chloride solution (5%) eliminated significant amounts of residues, resulting in residue levels below the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). In general, consumers must carefully consider washing vegetables and fruits with an appropriate solution before utilising them.

Please see the link :- https://www.ikprress.org/index.php/JACSI/article/view/3460