Degradation of malathion in aqueous extracts obtained from different developmental stages of asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis )

When malathion was incubated in aqueous extracts obtained from 17 vegetables and fruits at pH 7.4 and 37 °C for 4 h, asparagus extract exhibited the highest malathion degradation. The degradation effects of the extracts ranged from 100% (asparagus) to 0.5% (papaya). The highest malathion‐degradation effects obtained from extracts of asparagus at different growing stages incubated at pH 7.4 and 37 °C for 1 h was 94.4 ± 0.45% (stem length, 5–10 cm), followed by 88.0 ± 0.31% (10–15 cm), 85.1 ± 0.94 (15–20 cm), 82.2 ± 0.52 (20–25 cm), 81.2 ± 1.4% (pre‐emergent), 67.3 ± 0.67% (>25 cm), and 42.7 ± 2.1% (fern). The protein content in an asparagus extract from different growing stages was not consistent with the degradation activity of malathion. Results of time course studies on malathion degradation in asparagus extracts from different growing stages yielded half‐life times of malathion degradation ranging from 51.7 min (fern stage) to 17.3 min (stem length, 5–10 cm). Formation of α‐ and β‐malathion mono acids from malathion was detected in an incubated sample by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results support the presence of carboxylesterases in asparagus extracts. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry