Pesticide and Herbicide Testing

Chemical residue testing as a result of the use of pesticides and herbicides is an important process to ensure that soil, water, food and beverages are free from potentially harmful chemical residues, or to ensure trace residues of pesticides and herbicides are below safe consumption thresholds (MRLs).

In environmental and agricultural testing, the terms pesticide and herbicide residues are typically used to describe trace amounts of the chemicals themselves, or elements which as a result of these chemicals breaking down – that remain in organic matter such as fruit, vegetables, soils, air or water.

In alignment with the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment chemicals that may be detected as residues can include:

• Insecticides which are used to manage insect pests in crops, protect stored or warehoused grain and control external parasites on animals
• Herbicides used to control and exterminate weeds in crops
• Antibiotics which are utilised to manage bacterial diseases which present in animals
• Anthelmintics which are used to control internal parasites found in animals
• Fungicides used to control fungal diseases or bacteria found in plants and plant products
• Fumigants used to protect grain and sterilise soil, sheds and used in beekeeping exercises
• Hormone and hormone mimics, estrogens and androgens
• Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs)