Analysis of herbicide residues in sugar beet and sugar.

A simple quantitative TLC method for the determination of the residues of herbicide inhibiting photosynthesis was compared with capillary GLC for the analysis of atrazine, chloridazone, lenacil, phenmedipham and desmedipham in sugar beet and sugar. No significant differences in the determination limit and precision of the two methods were found. Monitoring of herbicide residue levels in commercial sugar revealed low levels of atrazine (0.003 mg.kg-1 on average) in all the samples. This contamination level does not present a health hazard consumers.