Determination of organophosphate pesticides in fruit and vegetables produced in Colombia

Abstract

The monitoring of pesticides in Colombian foods is limited and poorly implemented. Moreover, producers tend to use pesticides in excess, mainly for economic reasons. In this study the presence of the organophosphate pesticides chlorpiryfos, profenofos, disulfoton, methyl parathion, ethion and malathion was determined in the foods; tomatoes, onions, potatoes, grapes, strawberries and apples produced in Colombia using a multi-residue method. Following this, samples acquired in the local market of Bucaramanga were analyzed. In all samples (n=35) residues from at least two organophosphate pesticides were found (6% of the samples contained residues of 2 pesticides, 17% of 3, 20% of 4, 46% of 5 and 11% of 6). For the profenofos pesticide, the MRL (Maximum Residual Limit) was exceeded in more of 50% of the samples.