Determination of pesticide residues and heavy metals in Adhatoda Vasaka Linn.

Abstract

Heavy metals and pesticide residue analysis plays an important role in the quality control of medicinal plants like Vasaka (Adhatoda vasica). Hence a study was conducted to determine heavy metals and pesticide residues in this medicinal herb, which is a highly useful commodity in the health system. The reliable, rapid and nontoxic sample preparation method like QuEChERS and analytical methods like GC-MS were proposed for the simultaneous determination of pesticide residues and Heavy metal detection was carried out by ICP-MS. In this study, the presence of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides like alachlor, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, etc was checked but not detected. Heavy metals like Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg) and Lead (Pb) are traced in samples about 2.3005 ppb, 0.799 ppb, 2.290 ppb and 10.204 ppb respectively in the present study.