Herbicide Residue Analysis

Alike other pesticides, herbicides are chemicals used for controlling weeds and pose toxicity to targeted weed plants as well as potential risk to consumers and environment. Therefore, information on herbicide residues analysis become important for approving a chemical for large scale commercial use with little or no adverse effects on the environment and human health. The analysis of herbicide residues requires sophisticated equipment and specially trained manpower. Precise determination of herbicide residues in various commodities presents a challenge to the chemists in view of the micro-quantities present in soil or plants/other matrix and generally estimated at ppm or ppb level using sensitive methods. This book is written by Dr. Shobha Sondhia, a well known expert in the field of herbicide chemistry and weed science. Dr. Sondhia has acquired excellent skills and knowledge in herbicide residues analysis based on her research work at Directorate of Weed Science, Jabalpur. This book contains five chapters, beginning with general guidelines for herbicide residues analysis, extraction, cleanup, detection methods, determination of herbicide residues and precautions are described in detail. At the end, information on herbicide registered/banned in India, physico-chemical properties of herbicides, toxicology, maximum residue limits (MRL) of herbicides in different commodities, list of major uses of herbicides in crops and membership of CODEX Alimentarius Commission are also provided. Glossary of important terms used in herbicide estimation is also given. Author believes that this practical book will be of immense value to academicians, weed scientists in general and residue chemists in particular.