Content Evaluation on Organochlorine Pesticides in Local Vegetables

According to Codex Alimentarius, pesticides are considered as chemicals that prevent, suppress, destroy and repel some pests during manufacture, storage, transport or processing of food, feed and agricultural goods. These chemicals can also be used as plant growth regulator, as defoliant, agent inhibition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content of organochlorine pesticides in home-grown vegetables products. The objectives were the establishment of the working matrices and the organochlorine pesticides determination in the matrices chosen by GS method. Due to the high cost of analysis, the vegetable matrix was consisted in 12 sample- lettuce and spinach samples grown in garden and roots samples (carrots, parsley, parsnip and celery) from both home-grown production. Organochlorine pesticide residues were extracted from the sample with acetonitrile and petroleum ether, purified by passage through florisil column and eluted with a mixture of ethyl ether and petroleum ether. Concentrated eluate was subjected to gas chromatographic determination.In all examined samples, there were identified organochlorine pesticide residues with high residual, HCH, DDE, DDT, DDD, endosulfan, and heptachlor, some being above the maximum allowed by European legislation