Determination and persistence of several fungicides in postharvest-treated apples during their cold storage

Abstract

This work describes the storage stability of fungicide residues usually used in postharvest treatment of pome fruits: Benomyl, Carbendazim, Methylthiophanate, Thiabendazole. Fungicide treatments were carried out by immersion of apples, cvs. Starking and Golden Delicious, in aqueous solutions of each fungicide. Fruits were stored at 0°C (cv. Starking) or +2°C (cv. Golden Delicious) both in 85-90% relative humidity. Samples were taken monthly, and each fungicide compound was determined in peel, two zones of pulp, and whole fruit by high-performance liquid chromatography. Benzimidazole residues decreased during storage; Thiabendazole, Benomyl, and Methylthiophanate residues found at 160 days of storage were 30-25% (cv. Starking) or 45-55% (cv. Golden Delicious) of the initial amount recovered after treatment. Carbendazim showed the greater storage stability (40-65%) in both cultivars. Most residues were found on the peel, and amounts in the pulp decreased toward the core. © 1987 American Chemical Society.