In 1997 the Italian monitoring programme for pesticide residues in food comprised 7951 samples of 152 different foods for which a total of 275 pesticides were analysed. For 90 pesticides, the National Estimated Daily Intakes (NEDIs) were calculated by using the 90th percentile value and the food consumption data for the general Italian population. The calculated NEDIs were found to represent only a small portion of the respective Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI).

A gas chromatographic method is described that is suitable for the determination of benalaxyl residues ranging from 10 to 0.1 μg/kg in several crops, must, wine, and water. The compound is extracted with acetone and purified either by partitioning between water and n-hexane or by passing the extract through an Extrelut column with n-hexane. Further purification is achieved by column chromatography on alumina. The active ingredient is finally determined by gas chromatography with nitrogenphosphorus detection. Mean recoveries were ≥95% in the various crops tested and in the 0.01-1.05 mg/kg fortification range. Standard deviations for each crop were ≤6.5%.

A method based on the phosphorus determination, including thin layer chromatographic separation, has been developed for determining ethyl 0,0,-dimethyldithiophosphoryl- 1 -phenyl acetate in both technical products and its 50% liquid formulation. The insecticide or a convenient amount of an insecticidal preparation is dissolved in benzene, and the solution is spotted on a thin layer chromatographic plate. After development and spraying with the chromogenic reagent, the surface containing Cidial is detached and eluted. The quantity of the active ingredient in the eluate is obtained by estimation of phosphorus as ammonium phosphomolybdate. The concentration of Cidial in the original sample can be derived by calculation.

In 1997 the Italian monitoring programme for pesticide residues in food comprised 7951 samples of 152 different foods for which a total of 275 pesticides were analysed. For 90 pesticides, the National Estimated Daily Intakes (NEDIs) were calculated by using the 90th percentile value and the food consumption data for the general Italian population. The calculated NEDIs were found to represent only a small portion of the respective Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI).

A method, based on phosphorus determination after thin layer chromatographic separation, has been developed for the analysis of O,O-diethyl S-(N-isopropylcarbamoylmethyl) phosphorothiolothionate in both technical products and liquid formulations. The insecticide or a convenient amount of an insecticidal preparation is dissolved in benzene and the solution is spotted on a thin layer chromatographic plate. After the plate is developed and sprayed with the chromogenic reagent, the portion containing prothoate is scraped off and the pesticide is eluted with methanol. The quantity of the active ingredient in the eluate is obtained by estimation of phosphorus as quinoline phosphomolybdate and the concentration of prothoate in the original sample can be calculated.