Identification of the major active ingredients in illegal pesticide seized by Brazilian federal police and quantification of metsulfuron-methyl and tebuconazole

Abstract

The compilation of forensic reports from pesticides seized by the Federal Police in Brazil showed that metsulfuron-methyl, imidacloprid, fipronil, tebuconazole, clorimuron-ether and glyphosate were the dominant active ingredients (AI) illegally imported. Despite these AI were not among the most traded pesticides in Brazil, high prices of corresponding legal formulations may stimulate this illegal activity. Based on this study, smuggled pesticides containing tebuconazole and metsulfuron-methyl were seized and quantitatively analyzed using gas and liquid chromatography, respectively. Tebuconazole results, in liquid and solid presentations, were in accordance with the information on the label, while most metsulfuron-methyl samples, labeled as 600 g kg-1, showed lower concentrations in chemical analysis (mean of 337.0 g kg-1 + 2.0).