APPLICATION OF THE LASER INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY TECHNIQUE TO THE DETECTION OF Cl IN CHARD INFERENCE THE PRESENCE OF ORGANOCLORATED PESTICIDES

Abstract

Pesticide residues in food are a threat to consumption. However, detecting residues quickly and directly on the sample is a complex job. In this work, the potential application of the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for the rapid measurement of pesticide residues (imidacloprid, cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos) in chard leaves is explored by registering the chlorine emission line (725.66 nm). Significant differences can be observed with respect to the control sample, evidencing the applicability of this technique as a potential tool for the study of pesticide residues in food matrices.