DETERMINATION OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN VEGETABLES COLLECTED FROM BOGURA DISTRICT IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

The study was conducted to analyze pesticide residues in two common vegetables (country bean and yard long bean) collected from five different areas (Raja Bazaar, Gabtali Bazar, Sonatola Bazar, Mohasthangor Bazar and Shibganj Bazar) of Bogura District from November, 2017 to February, 2018. The collected samples were carried to the Pesticide Analytical Laboratory, Entomology Division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur. The collected samples were analyzed using Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction technique and Gas Chromatography (GC) coupled with Flame Thermionic Detector (FTD) for the determination of pesticide residues in 35 samples of country bean and 35 samples of yard long bean. Among the 35 analyzed samples of country bean, 4 samples (11% of the total number of samples) contained pesticide residues of Quinalphos. Among these 4 samples, 2 had residues above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) and 2 had residues below the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) set by European Commission. Similarly out of 35 samples of yard long bean, 5 samples (14% of the total number of samples) contained pesticide residues of Chlorpyrifos, Dimethoate and Quinalphos. Among this 5 samples, 2 had residues above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) and 2 had residues below the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) set by European Commission and 1 sample contained two pesticide residues such as Dimethoate and Chlorpyrifos. The level of detected Dimethoate residue was above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL), while the level of detected Chlorpyrifos residue was below the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) in this contaminated sample. Quinalphos and Dimethoate were detected in most of the contaminated country bean and yard long bean samples, while Chlorpyrifos was also detected. This study reflects the overall scenario of pesticide contamination in vegetables especially in country bean and yard long bean available in the local markets of Bogura District, which will help the consumer to be aware of their health and safety.