ABSTRACT
Pesticide usage has been extended over the past 50 years. Over 1000 substances active against pests are used worldwide. The term pesticide describes a biological, physical, or chemical agent used to prevent, destroy or control animal, microbiological or plant pests, including vectors of human or animal disease, unwanted species of plants or animals causing harm or otherwise interfering with the human food chain. They are not necessary poisons, but they can cause toxic effects in human or animals. Pesticides can be classied according to their target species. Thus, they are known as insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, herbicides, and rodenticides, that is, corresponding to agents primarily effective against insects, nematodes (or roundworms), fungi, weeds, and rodents, respectively. Benzoylureas, carbamates, organophosphorous compounds, pyrethroids, sulfonylureas, or triazines are amongst the most important chemical families. The chemical and physical properties of pesticides may differ considerably. There are several acidic pesticides; others are neutral or basic. Some compounds contain halogens, others phosphorous, sulfur, or nitrogen. From all these chemical species, this chapter addresses the current analytical methodologies for fungicide and herbicide testing in foodstuffs using LC-based methodologies.
