Effects of Household Processing on Reduction of Pesticide Residues in Vegetables

In a monitoring study residue levels of organochlorines (OC), synthetic pyrethroids (SP), organophosphates (OP) and carbamates were determined in unprocessed and processed three vegetables viz. brinjal, cauliflower and okra to know the residue levels and evaluate the effect of different household processes (washing and boiling/cooking) on reduction of residues. Samples were procured from local market at different interval of time. Residues were estimated by using multi residue analytical technique employing gas liquid chromatograph (GC), with electron capture detector (ECD) and nitrogen phosphorous detector (NPD) equipped with capillary columns. In all the three vegetables, washing reduced the residues by 20-77 percent and boiling by 32-100 percent. Maximum (77%) reduction of OP insecticides was observed in brinjal, followed by 74% in cauliflower and 50% in okra by washing. The same trend was observed by boiling process where maximum (100%) reduction of OP insecticides was observed in brinjal followed by 92% in cauliflower and 75% in okra. Boiling was found comparatively more effective than washing in dislodging the residues.