Effects of Household Processing on reduction of Pesticide Residues in Brinjal and Okra

The experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of household processing on removal of organophosphate (chlorpyrifos and monocrotophos) and pyrethroid (cypermethrin) residues in brinjal and okra. The household processes included washing separately with water, 2.0% NaCl, 1.0 % NaHCO3, 0.5 % acetic acid and boiling in water. Samples of brinjal and okra were collected from experimental field which were sprayed with different concentration of pesticide on the vegetables.In the household processes of brinjal, residues reduced by 29.5-99.2%, 30.2-92.1% and 65.6-99.7%, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and monocrotophos respectively. Whereas household processes of okra, residues reduced by 24.5 -98.9%, 27.2-92.2% and 62.4-99.5%, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and monocrotophos respectively. Maximum residues were reduced by boiling (99.7%) reduction of pesticides was observed in brinjal, and okra by household processing. Boiling was found comparatively more effective t han washing in dislodging the residues. The samples were extracted with 1% acetic acid in acetonitrile mixture and cleaned up with primary secondary amine (PSA) and magnesium sulphate. Experiments on two fortification concentrations are carried out, and th e limits of detection are 0.004, and 0.003 mg/kg for chlorpyriphos, monocrotophos respectively. The average recoveries of pesticide residues in brinjal and okra samples are 80.0 to 105.0 .