Multiresidue method for determination of pesticides in kiwi fruit, apples, and berry fruits.

A rapid multiresidue procedure for fruits, based on methanol extraction, is presented. Water and highly water-soluble co-extractives are removed by partitioning the pesticides into toluene. Carbon-cellulose-Florisil cleanup is performed before gas chromatography on OV-225 with electron capture detection. A wide range of pesticides can be determined to 0.1 mg/kg without concentrating the extract. Gas chromatography of the crude toluene partition using SE-30 and an alkali flame ionization detector provides confirmatory data and allows detection of some carbamates. Dichlorvos, dimethoate, and acephate are determined directly in the methanol extract by flame photometric detection. High recoveries were obtained for 4 organochlorine insecticides, 13 organophosphorus insecticides, 2 synthetic pyrethroids, two N-methyl carbamates, and 10 fungicides. The method is economical of solvents, glassware, and time, and is recommended for routine surveillance of residue levels on fruit.