Detection of pesticides using thin layer chromatography

O-Tolidine plus potassium iodide, p-nitrobenzene-diazonium-fluoroborate bioassay with enzyme sources, silver nitrate plus ultraviolet radiation, and p-dimethyl-aminobenzaldehyde and photosynthesis inhibition modes of de-tection were selected for Thin Layer Chromatography screening of pesticides residues of reference origin. Sing-le solvents were used for elution and indicator compounds used for controlling the proper conditions for the det-ection. The detectability of 34 pesticide compounds was tested and the minimum detectable amounts were dete-rmined. The linear range of some of the pesticides relative to the detection methods used is also presented. Re-sults indicate that the linear range of a particular chemical depends on the method of detection used. The range was found to be wider for chemicals that had very low limits of detection with particular methods. (Journal of Applied Science and Technology: 2001 6(1-2): 108-115