AIM: To determine the presence of pesticides

in fruits and vegetables

1. Introduction

2. Theory

3. Requirements

4. Procedure

5. Observation

6. Results

7. Precautions

8. Bibliography
Introduction:

Pesticides are chemical compounds that are used to kill pests, including insects, rodents,
fungi and unwanted plants (weeds). Over 1000 different pesticides are used around the
world.

Pesticides are used in public health to kill vectors of disease, such as mosquitoes, and in
agriculture to kill pests that damage crops. The general population is exposed to low
levels of pesticides through food and water, and these are not typically cause for concern.
People at higher risk of adverse health effects are those who work directly with pesticides,
such as agricultural workers, and those who are in the immediate area when pesticides
are applied. People not involved with applying the pesticide should avoid the area during
and immediately after its use.

By their nature, pesticides are potentially toxic to other organisms, including humans, and
need to be used safely and disposed of properly. They are among the leading causes of
death by self-poisoning, and this burden is felt disproportionately in low- and middle-
income countries.
Many of the older, cheaper (off-patent) pesticides, such as
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and lindane, can remain for years in soil and
water. These have adverse effects on larger parts of the ecosystem and can accumulate in
the food chain. These chemicals have been banned by countries who signed the 2001
Stockholm Convention.

Effects of Pesticides:

Acute toxicity

Pesticides can be acutely toxic. This means that they can cause harmful or lethal effects
after a single episode of ingestion, inhalation or skin contact. The symptoms are evident
shortly after exposure or can arise within 48 hours. They can present as:

 respiratory tract irritation, sore throat and/or cough

Chronic (or long term) toxicity

Pesticides can cause harmful effects over an extended period, usually following repeated
or continuous exposure at low levels. Low doses don’t always cause immediate effects,
but over time, they can cause very serious illnesses.

Long term pesticide exposure has been linked to the development of Parkinson’s disease;
asthma; depression and anxiety; attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and
cancer, including leukaemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Types of Pesticides:
Herbicides
Organophosphate
Rodenticides
Insecticides
Fungicides
Theory:

In the decade, there has been a tremendous increase in the guilds of various
crops to meet the demand of our growing world population. This great feat
has been achieved by adopting new methods of forming and by expensive
use of fertilizers and insecticides. A pesticide is any substance is mixture of
substance intended for preventing, destroying repelling or mitigating any
pest. A pesticide may be a chemical substance, biological agent antimiobial
disinfectant or device used against any pest.
Pests includes insects, plant pathogens insects, molluscs, birds, mammals,
fish nematodes and microbus that destroy property, spread disease or are a
vector for disease or cause a nuisance.
Although there are also drawbacks, such as potential to humans and other
animals. The term includes substances intended for use as a plant growth.
Farmers use insecticides to protect their crops from insect damage. In urban
areas, public health officials use them to fight mosquitos and that insect carry
germs. People use insecticides indoor to control pests and ants and
cockroaches.
Requirements:

1. Mortar
2. Pestle
3. Beakers
4. Funnel
5. Glass rod
6. Filter paper
7. China dish
8. Water bath
9. Tripod stand
10. Fusion-tubes
11. Knife
12. Test-tube
13. Samples of fruits & vegetables
14. Alcohol
15. Sodium metal
16. Ferric chloride solution
17. Ferrous sulphate crystals 18. Distilled water and
19. Dilute sulphuric acid.
Procedure:

1. Heat a small piece of dry sodium in a fusion tube, till it melts. Then add Take
different kinds of fruit and vegetables and cut them into small piece separately.

2. Transfer the cut piece of various fruits and vegetables in mortar separately and
crush them.

3. Take different beaker of each kind of fruits and vegetables and place the
crushed fruit and vegetable in these beakers, and add 10ml of alcohol to each
or these. Stir well and filter collect the filtrate in separate china dishes.

4. Evaporate the alcohol by heating china dishes one by one over water bath and
let the residue dry in an oven.

5. One of the above residues from china dish to the fusion tube and heat till red
hot. Drop the hot fusion tube in china dish containing about 110ml of distilled
water. Break the tube and boil the contents of the china dish for about 5 minute
to cool and filter solution. Collect the filtrate.

6. To the filtrate add 1ml freshly prepared ferrous sulphate solution and warm the
contents. Then, add 2-3drops of ferric chloride solution and acidity with the dil.

7. Hydrochloric acid if a blue or green precipitate or colouration is obtained, it

8. Repeat the test of nitrogen for residue obtained from other fruits and vegetable
and record observation.
Observation:

Result/Conclusion:

Thus, from the above experiment we conclude that the fruits and
vegetables that we consume especially grapes, tomato and potato contain
nitrogen containing insecticides and pesticides
Serial no. Name of Fruit / Test for Presence of
vegetable presence of insecticide /
Nitrogen pesticides
1 Tomato +ve Yes
2 Grapes +ve Yes
3 Carrot -ve No
4 Potato +ve Yes