ABSTRACT:
Irrational use of pesticides in vegetables results in residue accumulation, which is a major health hazard which needs to be strictly monitored by Regulatory authorities. Emamectin benzoate is an insecticide which belongs to Avermectin, a family of structurally complex antibiotics produced by a strain of Streptomyces avermitilis. It is the most commonly used insecticides in vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, tomato The aim of the study is to determine the amount of insecticide Emamectin benzoate present in cauliflower. Cauliflower sprayed with recommended dose and double recommended dose were analyzed for their residual contents. A rapid sensitive HPLC method has been developed and validated for the determination of emamectin benzoate residues in Cauliflower. Reverse phase HPLC system using acetonitrile: ammonium acetate buffer; (50:50) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.2 ml min-1 with UV detection at 254 nm was used for quantification of emamectin benzoate. Limit of detection of 2 ng/ml was obtained. Calibration curves that constructed for the analytes spiked into samples followed linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (R2>0.997). Method used permitted the determination of these pesticides in cauliflower at concentration level demanded (MRL) by food and agriculture board. In the analysis, from vegetables treated with emamectin benzoate at double of recommended doses the residual amounts above respective maximum residue limit (MRL) values were found.