The objective of this research was to study degradation kinetics of dimethoate in plants of Ilex paraguariensis Saint Hilaire (or yerba maté) and during its processing. To determine dimethoate concentration, a capillary gas chromatography technique with a mass selective detector was used. Half-life times in plants ranked between 9.8 and 11.8 days. During processing, with a blanching and two drying steps, dimethoate concentration decayed to a 22.7% of its initial value (in dry basis); while during seasoning step (at 45°C), half-life time was 17.3 days. With these values, preharvest safety interval was determined.
Dimethoate; pesticide; degradation; processing; Ilex paraguariensis; yerba maté
