Analysis of Residues of Carbofuran - Analytical Observations and Method Report
Carbofuran is an insecticide, nematicide and acaricide of the carbamate group. Carbosulfan , furathiocarb and benfuracarb are pro-pesticides that degrade to carbofuran, which is the active substance.
Originally carbofuran and its 3 pro-pesticides were regulated separately; however given the tendency of carbosulfan, furathiocarb and benfuracarb to degrade during analysis and food processing a new residue definition was introduced, which includes carbofuran, its three pro-pesticides and the metabolite 3-OH-carbofuran (3-OH-carbofuran) expressed as carbofuran. For products of animal origin the residue definition refers to 3-OH-carbofuran (free and conjugated). Given the strong acute neurotoxicity of carbofuran (ARfD 0.00015 mg/kg bw), very low MRLs for carbofuran (sum) were established for food products with substantial short-term consumption (e.g. 0.001 mg/kg for potatoes, apples and milk and 0.002 mg/kg for stone fruits, grapes, fruiting vegetables, brassica vegetables, salad plants and stem vegetables).
The EURL-SRM developed a method based on QuEChERS-methodology to analyze for residues of carbofuran (sum). Following extraction according to the QuEChERS protocoll (EN-15662) any benfuracarb, carbosulfan or furathiocarb is hydrolysed to carbofuran under acidic conditions. Thus only two of the 5 components entailed in the residue definition for products of plant origin have to be analyzed, which is beneficial given the very low MRLs established for toxicological reasons: Link to Method.
The report on analytical observations can be found here: Link to Observations Report.
Published 25-04-2016, 08:58:15
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