Variability in captan residues in apples from a Canadian orchard.
Apple trees in an orchard in Quebec, Canada were treated, following label directions, with the fungicide captan (1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-N-(trichloromethylthio)phthalimide) during the 2003 agricultural season. A total of 142 apples from three rows of trees were selected for determination of captan by GC/MS. Individual apples were found to contain captan levels ranging from 16.9 to 6350 ng g-1. Only two individual apple samples exceeded the Canadian maximum residue limit (5000 ng g-1) for captan in apples. Six composite samples, comprising half portions of eight individual apples, were analysed from each of the three experimental rows. Composite samples ranged in concentration from 166 to 2620 ng g-1. The greatest uncertainty associated with the measured concentrations was due to variability among apples rather than the measurement of residue levels.
Rawn
Dorothea F K
DF
Food Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada. 2203E, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0L2. thea_rawn@hc-sc.gc.ca
Quade
Sue C
SC
Shields
J Brian
JB
Conca
Giacomo
G
Sun
Wing-Fung
WF
Lacroix
Gladys M A
GM
Smith
Mark
M
Fouquet
André
A
Bélanger
André
A
D002215:Captan / Q000032:analysis*; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D027845:Malus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D011792:Quebec
D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D002215:Captan