Pesticides enter the surface and ground water mainly trough drainage (runoff) of crops. They can be found both in rural and urban areas. There are in use globally approximatelly almost 800 active substances. Each of them has different physical, chemical and toxic properties. The most commonly used pesticides are organophosphates, organochlorine, triazines, carbamates, amide pesticides and glyphosate.

The big quantities of active substances used annually in rural and urban areas make pesticides a dynamic contaminant of water sources. Polluted water may endager the health of humans and animals and cause environmental damages.

In the countries of European Union, a maximum level of 0,1 μg/l of each pesticide is established, while the maximum concentration limit of total pesticides is 0,5 μg/l. There is also a different maximum limit of 0,030 μg/l for aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide according to Regulation 98/83/EC.

In Tsakalidis Analysis&Testing for the detection and quantification of pesticides, we use methods based on liquid-liquid extraction and solid phase extraction and we analyse samples with liquid or gas chromatography with different types of detectors ( (MS, ECD, NPD, PDA)

Organochlorine Pesticides