Pesticides daily pollutes soil and water in farmland
and environment in ASEAN agricultural developing countries.
In this study, pesticide adsorption was studied by bentonite
modification, targeting the “organoclay” adsorbent in
comparison to native bentonite, which was probably reported to
adsorb agricultural pesticide. Commercial bentonite was
modified with the berberine containing natural extract from
Coscinium fenestratum; the local folk medicine in Thailand. The
modified clay by extracted berberine was able to adsorb
carbamate pesticide carbaryl with significant rate. HPLC
analysis of residue carbaryl after adsorption process showed
that it was up to 80% carbaryl adsorption when bentonite was
modified by extracted berberine with ratio 1:100 (w/w),
whereas commercial bentonite has showed at 70%. Modified
bentonite by C. fenestratum extract and berberine revealed by
scanning electron microscopy showed that the different
transform levels of this clay surface, herein, the highest
carbaryl adsorption occurred when berberine/bentonite ratio
for modification process was 1/200 (w/w). SEM results also
demonstrated that the amount of berberine should be taken into
consideration in term of bentonite modification for pesticide
adsorption. Coscinium fenestratum plant will be further studied
for its contribution to pesticide adsorption material in Thailand