Pesticide Analysis Essay

PROPOSAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ELISA-BASED LABORATORY

Pesticide Detection:

MRL’s (Maximum Residue Limits) are establish by each country, controls the levels of tolerated pesticide residues. Acceptable residue level in one country can be different, for example in Malaysia, we are following 16th Schedule for pesticide regulation, while most of other international countries follow Codex Alimentarius @ Food Code by World Health Organisation (WHO).

In order to ensure residue level are within allow limit, previously crops from Agroto was sent to commercial laboratory for pesticide analysis. However, this method have flaws which are time consuming and expensive. For one produce sample test, normally it would cost around RM 2000 for only few parameter

The principle of testing is similar with the pesticide testing: protein-based diagnostic kits, specifically Enzyme-link immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. This detection system is based on the observation for color change occurs in the kit reaction mixture, indicating positive result.

Immunoassay based method for laboratory concept:

For pesticide analysis, most of commercial laboratory tends to perform chromatography technique, which is commonly used for separating a mixture of chemicals substances into its individual components. This individual components then thoroughly analyzed to identify, for pesticide their respective active ingredient will be identified. The advantages and limitation of conventional chromatographic technique are listed below:

Advantage

Limitation

Sensitive Time consuming

Reproducible Expensive

Wide range of application, not limited to only pesticide compound Require laborious clean up procedure and pretreatment prior to sample testing Need well-equipped laboratory Need constant

While this is currently the most advance and accurate diagnostics, it is thoroughly laborious and tedious technique and require well-trained personnel to handle molecular work.

Nowadays, ELISA kits for diagnosis of plant disease are available in the market. ELISA kits are very easy to use because test takes only short time to perform, and does not require sophisticated laboratory equipment or training. Example of diseases detected by kits are Tomato Mosaic Virus, Cucumber Mosaic Virus, detection of Ralstonia solanaceareum, bacteria that commonly cause bacterial wilt/ brown rot in crops.

List of mandatory equipment for ELISA lab and rough budgetary quote:

Equipment Quantity Price Range Supplier Company

Microplate reader 1 RM 12000 Thermo fisher

Microplate Washer 1 RM 17000 Thermo