Monitoring of fungicide residues in betel leaf collected from different locations of Bangladesh

Abstract

An analytical method using Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction technique and Gas Chromatography (GC) coupled with Electron Capture Detector (ECD) was used for the determination of 2 fungicide (difenoconazole and thiram) residues in betel leaf samples collected from different locations (Barishal, Gazipur and Rajshahi) of Bangladesh. The analytical method used in this study was validated by evaluating the accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ) and linearity. The accuracy was found acceptable, ranging from 91.33% - 99.16% with an acceptable precision (≤6.58%). A total of 61 real samples were analyzed in this study. Among the analyzed samples of betel leaf, 5 were found to contain residues of difenoconazole and thiram, ranged from 0.110 mg/kg to 0.648 mg/kg. The level of detected thiram residues (0.110-0.210 mg/kg) were above maximum residue limits (MRLs) and the level of difenoconazole residues (0.360-0.648 mg/kg) were below MRLs. This study provides an overview of fungicide residues contamination in betel leaf samples collected from different locations across Bangladesh.