Pesticide Residues in Cotton Seed and Lint

With a view to study the residues of different insecticides in lint and cotton seed, total 24 samples, 12 each at first and second picking were collected from cotton growing areas of middle Gujarat. Out of 24 lint samples, 23 were found contaminated. Endosulfan was detected in all the 12 (Tr-1.066 μg g−1) and 11 (Tr-2.506 μg g−1) samples of lint for rhe first and second picking, respectively. Low levels of cypermethrin ranging from Tr-0.091 μg g−1 and λ-cyhalotorin from Tr- 0.087 μg g−1 were also detected in two and four lint samples, respectively. The residues of organophosphate insecticides were detected in three and eight lint samples from first and second picking, respectively. Chlorpyriphos was detected in as many as eight samples (Tr-0.135 μg g−1), followed by quinalphos in five samples (Tr), triazophos (0.139–7.026 μg g−1) and profenophos (Tr- 0.078 μg g−1) each in two osmples snd malathion (Tr) in only one sample. Analysis of cotton seed from the same samples showed low levels of endosulfan residues in nine and seven samples ranging from Tr-0.070 μg g−1 and Tr-0.081 ng g−1 for the first and second picking, respectively. Cypermethrin (0.06 μg g−1), chlorpyriphos (Tr) and quinalphos (Tr) each were detected in only one sample of cotton seed.