Relationship between Pesticide Residues in Fruit Peel and Flesh

Abstract

Pesticide residues in or on fruits and translocation of pesticide from the peel to the flesh were investigated.
Except for water-soluble pesticides, the highest ratio of the concentration in the flesh to that in the peel was found with imidazole and phenoxy pesticides, followed by carbamate pesticides. Organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides gave low ratios.
The regression equation log (C_f)=-1.22+0.924×log (C_p) (γ=0.892), where C_f is the pesticide concentration in flesh (ppm) and C_p is that in peel (ppm), was obtained for the relation between imazalil residues in lemon peel and flesh. The relation between the concentration ratio of the flesh to the peel and the pesticide solubility in water was given by: C_r=-0.99+2.41×log (S_w) (γ=0.942), where C_r is the concentration ratio (%) in the flesh and the peel and S_w is the pesticide solubility in water (mg/L).