https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-026-02148-7
Regular Article
Enhanced pesiticide residue removal in grapes by Sapindus mukorossi using response surface methodology process optimization
1
Department of Biotechnology, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Vel Nagar, Avadi, 600062, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
2
University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, 140413, Gharuan, Punjab, India
a
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Received:
17
October
2025
Accepted:
19
January
2026
Published online:
11
February
2026
Abstract
The increasing health risks posed by pesticide residues in fruits demand effective and natural decontamination strategies. This study investigates the efficacy of Sapindus mukorossi, a natural plant extract rich in saponins, as a surfactant for removing pesticide residues from grapes. The emulsification capacity of S. mukorossi extract, a key indicator of its surfactant potential, was optimized using ultrasonic-assisted extraction combined with Box–Behnken Design and Response Surface Methodology. The emulsification index (E-24) was enhanced by varying the solvent-to-solid ratio, ultrasonic time and amplitude. High emulsification index results from optimal extraction conditions (15.58 min, 52.08% amplitude, and 27.39 mL/g solvent-to-solid ratio), indicating the extract’s surfactant potential. Grapes artificially contaminated with Diazinon, Chlorpyrifos, and Dichlorvos were washed using both S. mukorossi extract and water. Analysis of pesticide residues using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) revealed that the plant extract had a significantly higher removal efficiency, with Diazinon reaching up to 94.6% after 40 min of treatment. In comparison, water achieved a maximum of 75% removal under similar conditions. LC–MS/MS analysis validated the method’s sensitivity and accuracy, with recovery rates within acceptable European Union (EU) limits and R2 values exceeding 0.995. Furthermore, the extract exhibited antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and strong antioxidant properties with an IC₅₀ value of 22.7 µg/mL, which increased the potential for use in food safety applications. The work uniquely optimizes the ultrasonic extraction of S. mukorossi to maximize its emulsification potential and demonstrates its superior efficiency in removing multiple pesticide residues from grapes under validated LC–MS/MS conditions, which is an unexplored application of S. mukorossi. This study shows that S. mukorossi is a safe, efficient substitute for pesticide residue removal that may find extensive use in post-harvest fruit treatment.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
