Acetylcholinesterase Based Detection of Residual Pesticides on Cotton

Abstract

This study describes the measurement of bio-electrical signals caused by enzymatic inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) for the detection of organophosphorous and carbamate pesticides which are the strong inhibitors of AChE and prevents its normal function of the rapid removal of acetylcholine (Ach). Biosensor Toxicity Analyzer (BTA) was used for the testing and enzyme activity was determined by acetylthiocholine chloride (ATCCl) as enzyme substrate. The monitoring of changes in bio-electrical signals caused by the interaction of biological substances and residues were evaluated. Two samples of cotton were analyzed. Cryogenic homogenization was carried out for sample pretreatment and Soxhlet extraction method (SOX) was used for extraction. The resulted extracts were concentrated and then injected in the BTA. The method shows reasonable results and can successfully be utilized for the detection of residual pesticides on different types of cotton.