Methyl parathion is an organophosphate (OP) pesticide, used as insecticide in agriculture to protect the crops from insects. It has been recommended as restricted pesticide for controlling the insect in the field of cotton, paddy, wheat, pulses such as green gram and black gram and oilseeds such as ground nut and mustard crops only but many newspapers have reported the presence of this pesticide in vegetables and spices also. It causes toxicity by inhibiting the acetylcholinesterase enzyme which leads to overstimulation of muscle and nerve fibers, uncontrollable twitching, convulsions, difficulty in breathing or death.
BARC has developed a prototype of handheld colorimetric biosensor that detects methyl parathion pesticide in the range of 1 - 10ppm. This biosensor consists of biocomponent disc (Figure A) and handheld colorimetric device (Figure B). Biocomponent disc specifically hydrolyses methyl parathion into detectable product which is measured by handheld colorimeter in the range of 1 – 10ppm. The total response time of biosensor is 10 - 20 min.
Methyl parathion is an organophosphate (OP) pesticide, used as insecticide in agriculture to protect the crops from insects. Although in India, Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) has recommended methyl parathion as a restricted pesticide for controlling the insect pests in the field of cotton, paddy, wheat, pulses such as green gram and black gram and oilseeds such as ground nut and mustard crops only, however, many newspapers have reported the presence of this pesticide in vegetables and spices even after washing. Methyl parathion causes inhibition of acetylcholinesterase that lead to excess accumulation of acetylcholine and causes overstimulation of muscle and nerve fibers, uncontrollable twitching, convulsions, difficulty in breathing or death. There is an urgent need to develop a rapid, selective, reliable and economically feasible method for onsite monitoring of samples.
BARC has developed a prototype of handheld colorimetric biosensor, which can detect methyl parathion pesticide in the range of 1 - 10ppm. This biosensor consists of biocomponent disc (Figure A) and handheld colorimetric device (Figure B). Biocomponent disc comprised immobilized microbial cells that hydrolyse methyl parathion pesticide into detectable yellowish colour product which is detected by handheld colorimeter in the range of 1 – 10ppm. The total response time of biosensor is 10 - 20 min. This biosensor is specifically detects methyl parathion pesticide in sample in 10 - 20 min while traditional analytical techniques are not specific and required 3-5 days.
Methyl parathion is an organophosphate (OP) pesticide, which is being used as insecticide in agriculture to protect the crops from insects. In India, Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) has recommended methyl parathion as restricted pesticides in two different concentrations either in 2% DP or 50% EC for controlling the insect pests in the field of cotton, paddy, wheat, pulses such as green gram and black gram and oilseeds such as ground nut and mustard crops. As per statistical reports by Directorate of PPQS, India, consumption of methyl parathion in India was 8408 MT during 2005 - 2010 and indigenous demand of production was 4691 MT during 2010 - 2016.
Methyl parathion causes inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and that lead to excess accumulation of acetylcholine and causes overstimulation of muscle and nerve fibers, uncontrollable twitching, convulsions, difficulty in breathing or death. Thus, it has been classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) under ‘Category Ia’ (extremely toxic) and by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) under ‘Toxicity Category I′ (most toxic) insecticide. There is an urgent need to develop a method that is rapid, selective, reliable and economically feasible for onsite monitoring of samples.
BARC has designed and developed a prototype of handheld colorimetric biosensor, which can detect methyl parathion pesticide in the range of 1 - 10ppm. This biosensor consists of two components; first is the biocomponent disc (5mm diameter) and second is handheld colorimetric device. Biocomponent disc consist of immobilized microbial cells that convert specifically methyl parathion pesticide (transparent) into detectable yellowish colour product (Figure 1) in 5 min which is detected by handheld colorimeter and determine the concentration of methyl parathion if it is in the range of 1 – 10ppm (Figure 2). The concentration is being displayed in LCD panel of handheld device. Total response time of biosensor is 10 - 20 min.
