Determination of Highly Polar Pesticides

Cotton, one of the basic raw materials of the textile industry, may be exposed to various agricultural chemicals during the production process. Among these, highly polar pesticides are a special group of pesticides that are difficult to analyze and pose potential risks to human health. Therefore, the determination of highly polar pesticides in cotton is of great importance for product safety and organic certification.

What Are High-Polarity Pesticides?

Highly polar pesticides are compounds that are highly soluble in water, have an ionic structure, or have a very low molecular weight. This makes them difficult to detect using traditional pesticide analysis methods. Highly polar pesticides include: These substances can be used directly or indirectly in cotton production and may leave residues in the fiber structure.

• Fosetyl-Al
• Ethephon
• Glyphosate
• AMPA (glyphosate metabolite)
• Choline and similar compounds.

Why are high polar pesticides important in cotton?

High polar pesticide residues in fiber products such as cotton pose significant risks to both the environment and human health. They should be monitored carefully for the following reasons in particular:

• Organic textile certifications specifically control these compounds.
• Baby and sensitive skin products have unacceptable residue risks.
• Export markets have increased demands for analyses of such pesticides.
• Certification programs such as GOTS and OEKO-TEX require testing for these substances.

How Are Highly Polar Pesticides Determined?

Traditional methods are insufficient for analyzing these pesticides, so special methods and devices are used:

• LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography – Tandem Mass Spectrometry) can measure at very sensitive levels.
• HILIC (Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography) columns are used to separate compounds with high polarity.
• Different extraction methods are used during sample preparation (e.g., the QuPPe method – Quick Polar Pesticides Extraction).

Cotton and Textile Products

Detection and Quantification Analysis of Some Selected Pesticides (High Polar Pesticides)

QuPPe Method; Waters Application

Thanks to these analyses, high levels of polar pesticide residues can be detected in cotton samples even at ppb (μg/kg) levels.

Why NANOLAB?

NANOLAB is a modern technology-equipped analysis laboratory specializing in high-polar pesticide analyses in cotton and textile products. Reliable results are obtained using specially developed methods and high-precision devices for these hard-to-detect compounds.

• Analysis solutions compliant with international standards such as GOTS, OEKO-TEX, and ISO
• Fast reporting and consulting support
• A reliable partner in organic certification processes

Control the risk of high-polar pesticides and prove the safety of your cotton products with analysis. For detailed information and sample acceptance process, please contact NANOLAB.