Pesticide Residue Levels in Melon Samples Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Background and Widespread use of plant pesticides in agriculture resulted in increasing concerns about pesticide hazards. In this research, the residual levels of pesticides in melons were evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
In this study, 75 samples of melons in Tehran market were used for simultaneous analysis of a variety of common pesticides in melons by GC/MS in two modes of scanning and SIM (Selected Ion Monitoring).
Among the samples, 8% were found with different types of residual pesticides, including pirimicarb (0.007 μg/g), dimethoate (0.03 μg/g), metalaxyl (0.015 μg/g), Alpha-endosulfan (0.012 μg/g), and permethrin (0.008 μg/g). All contaminations were less than the limits set by the Codex and the United States of America (P The standard limitations of pesticides in melons are not yet recommended in Iran, so, current findings could be used by authorities in determining these residual limits.