Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

Gas Chromatography was employed to quantify the residue levels of frequently used insecticides in randomly collected buffalo liver samples from North India. A total of 100 samples were screened for organophosphate pesticides, while 50 samples each were analysed for organochlorine and synthetic pyrethroid compounds. Samples were collected between December, 2014 to March, 2017 from Haryana and Delhi. Liver samples were treated with the procedure outlined by Dutch ministry of public health, welfare and sports (AMPRF, 1996). Nine organophosphate insecticides were investigated, namely dichlorovos, chlorpyrifos methyl, fenitrothion, pirimiphos methyl, malathion, Chlorpyriphos, quinalphos, ethion, and edifenphos. In addition, eight organochlorine insecticides (α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH, aldrin, dicofol, α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan) and five synthetic pyrethroid insecticides (λ-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, fenvelrate, T-fluvalinate, and deltamethrin) were included in the analysis. The estimated total pesticide burden was 5.75 ppb for organophosphate residues and 53.89 ppb for the combined organochlorine and synthetic pyrethroid residues. γ-HCH concentrations exceeded the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) as defined by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (2006) in 23 of the samples analysed. β-endosulfan recorded the highest mean residue concentration among all compounds detected in buffalo liver.