Aims: To investigate the levels and the associated risks of 18 organochlorine residues in water, soil, sediment, and five vegetables cultivated on abandoned mine areas. Study Design:  Water, sediment, soil (at 0 -10cm, 11 – 20cn, 21 – 30cn) and vegetables samples were collected from the abandoned tin mine agricultural areas.  These subsamples were separately combined and mixed so that a portion taken of the composite was representative of each subsample. The representative fractions were then treated for analysis Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected between February and May 2020 from the cultivated abandoned mine areas in Du, Jos - South Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria, Methodology Liquid–liquid extractions methods were used for the extraction of pesticide residues from water, sediment, soil and vegetables. The organochlorine residues were determined by GC/MS. Results: The physico- chemical properties data obtained for the soils/sediment from abandoned mine sites in Jos South were very heterogeneous, hence, various behaviors of pesticide residues in different soil/sediment matrices. There were no significant differences (P= 0.05) in mean minerals among the various samples. The pesticides residues detected in water were b-endosulfan, p,p-DDD and methoxychlor. The residues recorded in water were above the WHO’s MRL and Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA,) for drinking water.  Residues were also detected in sediment and soils samples. The 11 – 20cm subsoil accumulated the highest levels of the pesticide analyzed. The order of the accumulation of the OCP were; y-BHC>DDD>endrin>endrin ketone>a-endosulfan>b-endosulfan and of the sample type was water<surface soil<21-30cm subsoil<sediment<11-20cm subsoil. The results also showed the presence of OCPs in potato, tomato, cabbage, green beans, and green peppers. y-BHC  in potato, tomato and green pepper, endrin in tomato, endrin ketone in potato, tomato and green beans and d-BHC in cabbage had EDI higher levels than ADI and so their HQ greater than 1. The health risks indices (HRI) less than 1 in all other OCP residues were obtained for adults and children that would consume the vegetables except for y-BHC and endrin ketone in potato and tomato, d-BHC in cabbage, d- BHC in green pepper and green beans where the HRI is above 1 that poses health risk. There is however no significant difference (P=0.05) among vegetable types.  Positive correlation values ( 0.72, 0.83, 0.71, and 0.56) were  observed between endrin and lindane, endrin and heptachlor, endrin and DDT respectively. Conclusion: The consumption of vegetables that contained y-BHC, d-BHC, endrin and endrin ketone whose EDI and HQ were greater than 1 could pose non-carcinogenic health risks. Adults are likely to have less health risk from consuming these vegetables. The effective monitoring of pesticide residues in food items is required. There is also need to sensitize and educate the general public especially the end-users (farmers) on management practices of pesticides.

Starting and finishing this PhD program was possible because of the support of lots of people. Now it is the time to thank each and every one of you. Trying to name all involves the risk of forgetting those who were located in the neurons that I permanently burnt and lost in this process. However, I will do my best. First, I want to thank my PhD Program of Study Committee: E. Charles Brummer, Matt Liebman, Philip Dixon, Brian Wilsey, and Kevin de Laplante. Thanks Charlie for being my sensible mentor, reasonable boss, and good friend. Thanks for giving me the freedom to pursue my own research and teaching interests while providing guidance when I needed it, and showing me that an academic life can be enjoyable and fun. I hope we continue working together in the summer of either hemisphere. Thanks Matt for being the ideal balance between a hard core scientist focused on practical solutions for farming problems and a passionate person fired up in the construction of a more just and sustainable world. Thanks for your patience, advice, and friendship. "Keep up the good work." Thanks Phil, the most sensible priest in the religion of statistics, for providing timely and practical solutions to my life threatening statistical questions, without making me feel guilty in the process and always teaching me something new. It was always a blessing hearing your "OK!". Thanks Brian, for your practical advice on community ecology matters and helping me bridge the gap between ecologists and agronomists. See you in the pampas of Uruguay some time soon. Thanks Kevin, for broadening my perspective of the science of Ecology and opening the door to understanding the philosophical debates within the human quest for sustainability. You probed to be a person "de la planta".