Monitoring of pesticide residues in fruits

Fruit samples of ber, grapes and guava analysed for pesticide residues employing multiresidue analysis by gas liquid chromatography equipped with ECD and NPD detectors and capillary columns showed contamination with organochlorine, synthetic pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides. Among organochlorines, HCH, DDT and endosulfan were detected in almost all the samples. Residues of HCH and DDT were maximum in ber followed by grapes and guava where as of endosulfan were maximum in guava followed by grapes and ber. All the fruit samples showed the presence of residues with one or the other group of pesticides. Residues of none of the pesticides exceeded the MRL values in any sample. On the basis of these studies, it is suggested that monitoring studies should be extended to other fruits grown in different agro climatic regions which may serve as basis for future policy in chemical use.