Decline of pesticide residues from barley to malt

Abstract

The fate of dinitroaniline herbicides (pendimethalin and trifluralin), organophosphous insecticides (fenitrothion and malathion), and pyrimidine (nuarimol) and triazole (myclobutanil and propiconazole) fungicides from barley to malt was determined. Several samples for residue analysis were taken after each stage of malting (steeping, germination and kilning). Pesticide residue analysis was carried out by GC/ITMS in selected ion monitoring mode. Pesticides decline along the process, although in different proportions. The carryover of residues after steeping was 45–85%. A good correlation (r > 0.92) was observed between percentages removed after steeping and the P _OW values of pesticides. The amount remaining after malting ranged from 13 to 51% for fenitrothion and nuarimol, respectively. Steeping was the most important stage in the removal of pesticide residues (52%) followed by germination (25%), and kilning (drying and curing, 23%). During malt storage (3 months) the fall in pesticide residues was not significant. Applying the standard first-order kinetics equation (r > 0.95), the half-lives obtained for the pesticides during malt storage varied from 244 to 1533 days for myclobutanil and nuarimol, respectively.

Keywords:

• Barley
• malt
• malting
• malt storage
• pesticide residues

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia of Spain (Project No. AGL2002-03560) for financial assistance and the Brewers, Estrella de Levante, Fábrica de Cerveza, for technical help with this research.