This experiment was designed from preliminary experiment (Organic Versus Inorganic Vegetables: Which Should I Buy? Experimenter: Carlo Armijo). Test based off of the "Field Kit for the Detection of Organophosphorous Pesticides" a test from the Philippines complimentary from Dr. Leonila Varca, from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. This test was concluded to detect pesticide by emitting a blue color on Filter Paper Strips. However it could only be qualitatively observed.

The dilutions used in this experiment had carbamate (from the Sevin pesticide) at molarities of 1.12 X 10-2, 1.12 X 10-5, 1.12 X 10-8 2.24 X 10-8, 3,36 X 10-8, 4.48 X 10-8 diluted in DI Water to the volume of 100 mL. The reaction for detecting the pesticide is as follows. Micropipette 60 uL of the NaOH solution (NaOH dissolved in 10 mL DI water in a 50 ml volumetric flask, which is then put set to volume with ethanol) into a 13*10 mm test tube. Evaporate the solution using a Bunsen Burner. Immediately add 60 uL of the pesticide at the desired concentration. Evaporate off the dilution using Bunsen Burner. Let tube cool for approximately 7 minutes. Add 60 uL NBT solution (.00020 g Nitrobenzenediazonium Tetrafluoroborate in 3 mL of CH4). Add 3 mL of CH4. Blank a spectroscope with CH4 at the wavelegth of 580 nm and put the test tube with the pesticide in it and record the absorbance. The standard curve was attempted to design based off of the absorbance values of the pesticide at the 580 nm wavelength.

The data received from this project was inconsistent. The pesticide at the 10^-8 level was past the limit of detection. Although the average absorbance for the successful unflawed experiments at the 1.12*10^-2 M carbamate is .408. The average absorbance for the successful 1.12*10^-5 is .017 absorbance. Otherwise the smaller values were under the detection level of the reaction in solution. In filter paper though, a slight blue color showed up where the reaction occurred.

This experiment could not effectively detect the lowest molar values in a reaction in solution. At this point it can be qualitatively observed as really faint blue color on filter paper. This experiment could not render data necessary to make a standard curve.

In the future this experiment could be developed into testing the absorption levels between the 1.12 M pesticide and the 1.12 X 10-5 M pesticide. In addition, this detection method can be used on market produce to compare organic versus inorganic fruits and vegetables to see how much pesticide is in them. It could also be used to compare the if different fruits and vegetables for pesticide levels as well as compare the places on the vegetables where the pesticide is present.