AgroScience analysis

Pesticides are compounds applied to fruit and vegetables in order to control pests and other diseases. They are routinely applied before and after harvesting, and given their toxicity, need to be monitored to ensure the levels of residual pesticide are below the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) set out in legislation. These MRLs are set at low levels due to the potential for adverse health implications for consumers.

Pesticide residues can also be found in water sources via run-off from agricultural land, and also from wash water, particularly for processing of fruit and vegetables (i.e. washing of salads prior to sale, washing of apples prior to use in cider).

We work with agrochemical companies of all sizes, supporting them to achieve registration of active ingredients used on crops. Post-application, the harvested crop is processed under controlled conditions and analysed on state-of-the-art instrumentation such as LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. We offer low levels of detection to suit your requirements and in line with European Union Maximum Residue Limits EU-MRLs Regulation (EC) No 396/2005.

RPS has deep expertise in testing for residues of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and other organic compounds, from our purpose-built laboratory in Bedford, UK. AgroScience companies that want to register new pesticides or new combinations of pesticides must first demonstrate that they fall below the MRLs, at point of harvest. This information must be provided to regulators in order for their product to be approved for use.

Our laboratory can also test for pesticide residue breakdown of produce, soil, water and other complex matrices. This helps our clients understand the effects of pesticides and their impact on the food chain and the environment.

We analyse new and existing active ingredients and can supply detailed reports with validation and breakdown curves suitable for registration. Our methods and procedures meet the requirements of international standards including accreditation to ISO IEC 17025 in compliance with OECD and SANCO/10684/2009 guidelines.

We are ISO17025 accredited (see below) for analysis of a number of pesticides in foods and crops. We also hold a flexible scope of accreditation, allowing us to rapidly validate methods for new pesticides in line with SANCO guidelines. This provides our clients with ISO 17025 accredited results to meet analysis requirements.