Method validation for the analysis of pesticide residue in aqueous environment

Rapid industrialization and urbanization have led to severe pollution into water resources which limits to reach safe drinking and irrigation water globally. One of the most important pollutants of environment that brought along with industrialization and technology are pesticides. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the pesticide residues in Dim Stream, due to intense touristic and agricultural activities in the region. Thus, four locations alongside the river were selected for sampling to evaluate the pesticide residue in the stream. The water samples were collected representing the rainy and dry seasons and extracted according to the Quechers method which is validated in terms of accuracy, specificity, limit of detection (LOD), and quantification (LOQ). Pesticide residues were analyzed by injecting LC-MSMS and GC-MS. The most recurrent pesticides were cypermethrin, endosulfan, deltamethrin, dicofol, metribuzin, parathion-methyl, permethrin, malathion, and tetradifon in the samples. Some of the levels of pesticides detected in water were significantly high compared with guideline values set by the Surface Water Quality Regulation of Turkey, EU, and World Health Organization, and this may be hazardous to aquatic life and human health. The obtained 18 recoveries of pesticides in the samples varied between 70 and 120%. LOD was ranged 19 from 0.23 to 9.67 μg/L. LOQ of 11 of the pesticides were higher than 1 μg/L.