Monitoring of Insecticide Residues in Lint in Punjab

The residues of different insecticides in lint samples collected from cotton growing areas of Punjab were estimated using multiresidue analytical methodology. The minimum detection limit was 0.01 µg g⁻¹ for organochlorine and synthetic pyrethroid insecticides and 0.08 µg g⁻¹ for organophosphate insecticides. The study revealed contamination with organochlorine, organophosphate and synthetic pyrethroid group of insecticides. Majority of the samples were contaminated with endosulfan residues. Ethion and cypermethrin residues were detected in 80% samples. The residues of chlorpyriphos, fenvalerate, triazophos, deltamethrin and profenophos were also present in 40, 28, 14, 8 and 8% of the lint samples, respectively. The studies, therefore, suggest the need for strict regulation of insecticide use on cotton so as to produce cotton of acceptable quality.