Determination of organophosphorus pesticide residues in Greek virgin olive oil by capillary gas chromatography

In this study, the occurrence of 15 organophosphorus pesticide residues in Greek virgin olive oil was investigated. Analysis was carried out using capillary gas chromatography with specific detectors (FPD and NPD), after sample extraction with n-hexane and cleanup by partitioning between n-hexane and acetonitrile. Sixty-two samples of virgin olive oil were taken from the major production areas and packing companies of Greece during 1992-1994. In 46 samples, 9 organophosphorus pesticides, namely dimethoate, fenthion, omethoate, chlorpyrifos, methamidophos, parathion-methyl, parathion, methidathion, and malathion, were found, in concentrations ranging from 0.0005 to 0.1800 mg/kg. Diazinon, pirimiphos-methyl, paraoxon-methyl, malaoxon, carbo-phenothion, and azinphos-ethyl were not detected in any sample. In most samples pesticide residues were below the detection limits (0.0001 and 0.001 mg/kg), and most of the positive findings were a fraction (i.e., <0.09-18%) of the FAO/WHO Coder Alimentarius maximum residue limits (MRLs) except for dimethoate, which was ranged between 1 and 45%. Only one sample contained dimethoate residue that exceeded the Coder MRL for refined olive oil.