Pesticide residues 農藥殘留
Pesticide is a synthetic chemical, a natural or biological substance, or a mixture thereof, used for prevention, termination and/or control of diseases, pests, grass or other living things which are hazardous to agriculture and forestry; or for regulation of the growth of plants and pests in an intended way. Excessive usage of pesticides will lead to large amounts of pesticide residues in crops. When we take too many pesticide residues into our bodies, it may cause acute poisoning, which conclude headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, etc. In long-term, it may even damage the liver and kidneys, nervous system, and endocrine system. system and immune system. It also causes cancer and affects fertility.
To ensure the health security of citizens, the Chinese Medicine Regulations (Cap. 549F of the Laws of Hong Kong) and the practice guidelines established by the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong regulate the Chinese medicine retailers and wholesalers to keep the medicinal materials within the limits set and maintain transaction records. The accurate testing methods recognized by the Chinese Medicine Council under the Department of Health of Hong Kong for determining the content levels include:
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Gas chromatography with electron-capture detector (GC-ECD)
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Gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS)
The targeted pesticides for the analysis of pesticide residues in CMM are listed as follows -
(a) Aldrin and Dieldrin (sum of)
(b) Chlordane (sum of cis-, trans- and oxychlordane)
(c) Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) [sum of p,p’-DDT, o,p’-DDT, p,p’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE) and p,p’-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p’-TDE)]
(d) Endrin
(e) Heptachlor (sum of heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide)
(f) Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
(g) Hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) isomers (α-, β- and δ-hexachlorocyclohexane)
(h) Lindane [γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC)]
(i) Quintozene [sum of quintozene (PCNB), pentachloroaniline (PCA) and methyl pentachlorophenyl sulphide (MPCPS)]
農業是指合成化合物、天然產物、生物活性物質或以上的混合物，在藥材生產過程中用以防治蟲害或控制其生長的物質。過度使用農藥會導致農作物的農藥大量殘留，服用過量的農藥殘留可能會引致我們急性中毒，從而感到頭痛、噁心、嘔吐、腹瀉、呼吸困難等；長期服用更可能損害肝臟和腎臟、神經系統、內分泌系統和免疫系統，甚至有致癌和影響生育的風險。
為保護公眾健康，《中藥規例》(香港法例第549F章) 及香港中醫藥管理委員會制定的執業指引規定中藥材零售商及批發商應保存交易紀錄，並遵從相關法規和標準嚴格控制農藥殘留量。香港衛生署轄下的中醫藥管理委員會認可的準確測定其含量的檢測方法包括：
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氣相色譜法 - 電子捕獲檢測器測定法 (GC-ECD)
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氣相色譜 - 串聯質譜法 (GC-MS/MS)
上述方法可用於以下所列農藥的檢測︰
（a） 艾氏劑及狄氏劑（兩者之和）
（b） 氯丹（順-氯丹、反-氯丹與氧氯丹之和）
（c） 滴滴涕（4,4´ -滴滴依、4,4´ -滴滴滴、2,4´ -滴滴涕與4,4´ -滴滴涕之和）
（d） 異狄氏劑
（e） 七氯（七氯、環氧七氯之和）
（f） 六氯苯
（g） 六六六（α, β, δ等異構體之和）
（h） 林丹（γ-六六六）
（i） 五氯硝基苯（五氯硝基苯、五氯苯胺與甲基五氯苯硫醚之和）
"Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards" 《香港中藥材標準》
The amount of pesticide residues in CMM samples should comply with the limits listed in Table 5 below, unless in the case of a CMM of mineral origin or as otherwise specified.
除源於礦物的藥材或另有規定外，藥材樣品中農藥殘留量應符合由中醫藥管委會制定的藥材的重金屬檢測要求和含量限度：
The maximum permitted limits of pesticide residues in CMM samples
藥材中的農藥殘留限度
With our sophisticated instruments, experienced chemists/microbiologists, and stringent QA/QC procedures, we assure that all the results reported by our laboratory are accurate and precise.
Enviro Labs Ltd. (ELL) uses the GS/MS method for detection, and HOKLAS accreditation has been granted for most of the pesticide residues tests. For details of the scope of accreditation, please refer to the HKAS website.
配合我們先進的儀器、專業的化驗師/微生物化驗師及嚴緊的品管程序，所有分析結果的準確度及精密度都可以得到保證。
本化驗所主要採用 GC/MS 的檢測方法，大部份的農藥測定方法已獲得HOKLAS認可。有關之認可範圍，請參閱香港認可處網頁。
References
1. "Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards": Appendix VI Determination of Pesticide Residues
參考資料