Determination of Organochlorine Pesticide Residues in Pumpkin, Spinach and Sorrel Leaves Grown in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Three green leafy vegetable samples of pumpkin leaves, spinach leaves, and sorrel leaves were collected from a farm in Akwanga and were tested for the presence of residues of organochlorine pesticides. The concentrations of all the pesticide residues in the vegetable samples were determined using GC/MS. Among the organochlorine pesticide p,p'-DDT was detected in pumpkin (0.75 mg/kg), spinach (0.319 mg/kg) and sorrel (0.219 mg/kg). ∂-BHC and ɣ-BHC were detected only in pumpkin leaves (0.359 mg/kg and 0.647 mg/kg respectively). Dieldrin was detected in spinach and sorrel (0.124 mg/kg and 0.053 mg/kg respectively). Endrin was detected in pumpkin (0.732 mg/kg) and Aldrin in sorrel (0.095 mg/kg). All these values were above the maximum residue limit (MRL) value of the pesticides. Endosulfan II was detected in sorrel (0.306 mg/kg) below the MRL. The levels of most of the pesticide residues found in vegetables were above the maximum residue limits (MRLs) that call for laws to regulate the use and circulation of such chemicals. Routine monitoring of pesticide residues in this study area is necessary for the prevention, control and reduction of environmental pollution, to minimize health risks.

Cadmium Content and Accumulation in Lettuce Grown on Different Types of Soil

“…Results show that increased rates of Cd incorporated into the soil through phosphorus fertilizer led to an increase in Cd concentration in the lettuce root, on both types of soil. Moreover, the root of lettuce grown on the pseudogley accumulated statistically significantly higher amounts of Cd compared to that on the vertisol, which is associated with the increased Cd The results of the present study confirm the findings of [3] and [32] who found that lettuce has a high affinity to accumulate heavy metals, which coupled with its short growing season contributes to increased cadmium levels in edible parts. Another confirmation is that cadmium is a highly mobile element readily absorbed and translocated to aboveground parts by the plant.…”

“…This is a very important indicator showing a lower risk of Cd uptake by lettuce grown on the vertisol, which reduces the potential risk of contamination of edible lettuce parts. When growing lettuce in uncontaminated soils, [32] obtained a TF value higher than 0.5, which is considered by [38] to pose a risk of metal contamination of plants by anthropogenic activities. These results were confirmed in our study, since although lettuce was grown in an uncontaminated soil, Cd concentration in the leaves was above allowable levels, TF was high, which confirmed that lettuce is a Cd hyperaccumulator with a high transfer factor, as also determined by [2].…”

Fast and Easy Method of 55 Pesticide Residues Determination in Commonly Fruits and Vegetables Collected from Egyptian Local Markets

“…Fruits and vegetables can be contaminated by pesticides used for the protection of their culture. The use of pesticides to control pests in fruits and vegetables can lead to the presence of pesticide residues (Ibrahim et al, 2018). The level of these residues can be below the maximum residue limit (MRL) if good agricultural practices (GAP) were used.…”

Occurrence of organic micropollutants and human health risk assessment based on consumption of Amaranthus viridis, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

“…As a result, the occurrence, and toxicological effects on the human and environmental health of these organic pollutants have been widely investigated in different environmental compartments (air, soil, aquatic environment) and food chains (e.g., Poté et al, 2008 ; Doong et al, 2008 ; Montuori et al, 2016 ; Combi et al, 2016 ; Babut et al, 2019 ; Shen et al, 2013 ). In sub-Saharan African countries, some studies have been conducted to assess the POPs contamination levels in sediments from rivers, lakes, stream and groundwater (e.g., Verhaert et al, 2013 ; Kilunga et al, 2017 ; Mwanamoki et al, 2014 ; Bruce-Vanderpuije et al, 2019 ), and their accumulation in fish ( Ssebugere et al, 2014a , Ssebugere et al, 2014b ), fruits and vegetables (e.g., Adeleye et al, 2019 ; Lehmann et al, 2017 , Lehmann et al, 2018 ; Ibrahim et al, 2018 ; Kolani et al, 2016 ).…”