Residual Analysis of Insecticides (Lambda-cyhalothrin, Lufenuron, Thiamethoxam and Clothianidin) in Pomegranate Using GC-μECD or HPLC-UVD

In this study, the residual levels of four insecticidal compounds (lambda-cyhalothrin, lufenuron, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin) were monitored in the pomegranate, in order to assess the risk to consumers posed by the presence of such residues. The insecticides were applied at the recommended dose rates onto pomegranate trees. The samples were then collected at harvesting time after several treatments (two, three, and four treatments). After sample preparation progressed through the clean-up procedure, lufenuron, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin residues were analyzed via a HPCL-UVD, and the lambda-cyhalothrin residue was analyzed via a GC-${\mu}ECD$. The versatility of this method was evidenced by its excellent linearity (>0.9998 to 1) at broad concentration ranges. The mean recoveries evaluated from the untreated sample spiked with two different fortification levels ranged from 72.45 to 113.90%, and the repeatability (as a relative standard deviation) resulted from triplicate recovery tests was in a range from 0.80 to 11.75%. The residues of all insecticides determined from treated pomegranate samples and their LOD levels (lunfenuron, 0.01; lambda-cyhalothrin, 0.005; thiamethoxam, 0.01; clothianidin, 0.02 mg/kg) were much lower than their MRLs (0.5 mg/kg).