title: Assessment of different washing treatments to mitigate imidacloprid and acetamaprid residues in spinach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Agricultural crops treated with pesticides retain toxic residues that can cause various health disorders upon consumption. The present research project was designed to assess pesticide residues in contaminated spinach (Spinacia oleracea). The efficiency of chemical solutions (acetic acid, citric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sodium chloride and sodium carbonate) of different concentrations (% w/v) along with tap water for the dissolution of pesticide residues in spinach was studied. After various dipping treatments (T0 -T22 ) of treated spinach, imidacloprid and acetamaprid residues were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the solutions tested, the highest reductions in imidacloprid and acetamaprid residues respectively were 0.92 ± 0.04 mg kg(-1) (83%) and 1.42 ± 0.53 mg kg(-1) (87%) in treatment T6 (10% acetic acid), followed by 0.79 ± 0.01 mg kg(-1) (69%) and 0.86 ± 0.05 mg kg(-1) (71%) in treatment T11 (10% citric acid), while the lowest were 0.30 ± 0.02 mg kg(-1) (27%) and 0.35 ± 0.02 mg kg(-1) (29%) in treatment T20 (4% sodium carbonate). Moreover, treatment T1 (tap water) caused 0.27 ± 0.00 mg kg(-1) (23%) and 0.38 ± 05 mg kg(-1) (27%) elimination of imidacloprid and acetamaprid residues respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From these findings it is inferred that acetic acid and citric acid washing treatments can be used along with tap water to minimize pesticide residues in treated vegetables. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Atif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Randhawa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.lastname: Mansoor-Ul-Hassan
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.|Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, A'Sharqiyah University, Ibra, Oman.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asghar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Home & Food Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sohaib
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rana Muhammad
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Aadil
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Ahmar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jahangir
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D019343:Citric Acid; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000032:analysis; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009570:Nitriles / Q000032:analysis; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011743:Pyrimidines; D012996:Solutions; D018724:Spinacia oleracea; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000032:analysis; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: C508214:(E)-N1-((6-chloro-3-pyridyl)methyl)-N2-cyano-N1-methylacetamidine; D007093:Imidazoles; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009570:Nitriles; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D011743:Pyrimidines; D012996:Solutions; D013844:Thiazoles; D014867:Water; D019343:Citric Acid; C082359:imidacloprid; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: HPLC; acetamaprid; imidacloprid; pesticides; treated spinach; washing treatments