Rapid Detection of Fungicide in Orange Peel
Thiabendazole is an anthelmintic and a highly persistent systematic benzimidazole fungicide that is widely used for controlling spoilage in citrus fruit. It is considered a General Use Pesticide (GUP) in EPA Toxicity Class III – Slight Toxicity.
A small piece of orange peel (a few square millimeters in size) from a Florida orange was placed in the DART sampling region. Compounds present in the peel were detected within seconds. Among these were the familiar orange-oil flavor components such as limonene and sinensal as well as polymethoxylated flavones that are attributed with antioxidant and cholesterol-reducing properties.