Simultaneous determination of organophosphorus residues on curry leaf, decontamination through household techniques and risk assessment

Abstract

A simple analytical method was developed and validated, as per SANTE 2017 guidelines, for simultaneous determination of 10 organophosphorus residues in curry leaf using gas chromatography with flame photometric detection, and confirmed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Samples were extracted with ethyl acetate and cleaned up with primary secondary amine and graphitized carbon black. Average recoveries were in the range 80–108% with the RSD of less than 8%. The effects of different household cleaning techniques to reduce the concentration of pesticide residues in curry leaf were evaluated and found to remove 2–65% of residues. The method was applied to analyse sample to fresh curry leaf samples, and analysis of potential health risks estimated the residues did not pose a direct hazard. This method could be useful for routine analysis of organophosphorus residue for monitoring purposes.