A Thin Layer Chromotographic (TLC) detection methodology for screening herbicides using local plants and grasses

Abstract

This paper presents a Thin Layer Chromatographic (TLC) detection methodology for the qualitative and quantitative determination of herbicides, using some local plants/grasses as part of an on-going method development for providing alternative cost-effective analytical procedure for screening pesticide residues. Out of the thirteen (13) species of green leaves used in the test, the best and most sensitive were found to be Sporobulus pyramidalis and spinach with the minimum detectable quantities (MDQ) ranging from 0.125 ng/5 µL to 5 ng/5 µL, depending on the herbicide in question. Also to be discussed is an easy way of predicting which green leaves in a particular locality will be suitable for screening, as well as some results obtained from a cocoa ecosystem.

JOURNAL OF THE GHANA SCIENCE ASSOCIATION Volume 2 No. 3 (2000) pp. 144-152