Pesticides Residues in Agricultural Soils and Its Health Assessment for Humans in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Abstract

Soil contamination is one of the sensitive issue in agricultural region of Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, which is a largest vegetable producer. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) and pyrethroids pesticides (PYRs) concentrations were measured in 35 soil samples of selected crops. Among OCPs, the average concentration in the soil of these crops grown was in the order of cauliflowers > cabbage > broccoli > lettuce > celery > spinach > mustard, while for OPPs; spinach > broccoli > cabbage > cauliflower > celery > lettuce > mustard > and for PYRs it was broccoli > cabbage > cauliflower > spinach > mustard > celery > lettuce. For risk assessment life time average daily dose (LADD) of OCPs, OPPs and PYRs for adults were calculated at 2.1 x 10 -7 -1 x 10 -6 mg kg -1 d -1 , 1.46 x 10 -11 -3.6 x 10 -10 mg kg -1 d -1 and 1.28 x 10 -12 -3.42 x 10 -12 mg kg -1 d -1 meanwhile for children 5.3 x 10 -8 -2.7 x 10 -7 mg kg -1 d -1 , 3.8 x 10 -11 -9.4 x 10 -10 mg kg -1 d -1 and 8.8 x 10 -12 -1.6 x 10 -10 mg kg -1 d -1 . The hazard quotient (HQ) was  1 indicating less health risks for humans. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicates a strong correlation of high pesticides residual concentration of the soil of crops (cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli) with soil properties (pH and organic content) thus influencing its mobility and persistence whereas for other crops soil the decrease residual concentration might be related to crop type, rotation, roots exude, rhizosphere effect, or a rapid disappearance of pesticides after application.Keywords: organochlorine, organophosphorus, pyrethroids, gas chromatography, multivariate analysis Abstrak Pencemaran tanah merupakan salah satu daripada isu yang sensitif dalam kawasan pertanian di Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, di mana ianya merupakan kawasan pengeluar sayur yang terbesar di Malaysia. Kepekatan racun serangga organoklorin (OCPs), organofosforus (OPPs) dan piretroid (PYRs) telah diukur dalam 35 sampel tanah dari tanaman yang terpilih. Berikut merupakan tertib kepekatan OCPs dalam tanah dari tanaman kubis bunga > kubis > brokoli > salad > sederi > bayam > sawi, manakala untuk OPPs adalah bayam > brokoli > kubis > kubis bunga > saderi > salad > sawi dan untuk PYRs adalah brokoli > kubis > kubis bunga > bayam > sawi > saderi > salad. Bagi penilaian risiko purata jangka hayat dos harian (LADD) untuk OCPs, OPPs dan PYRs untuk dewasa adalah 2

Land use change in highland area and its impact on river water quality: a review of case studies in Malaysia

“…The application of fertilizer and pesticides can cause repeated runoff and erosion into the water bodies, particularly during rainfall. Farina et al (2016) have detected Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residues; a chemical pesticide in the agricultural soils. These type of pesticides have high persistence (more than 10 years) and also have a tendency to bio-accumulate in the soil and contaminated the vegetables.…”

“…These type of pesticides have high persistence (more than 10 years) and also have a tendency to bio-accumulate in the soil and contaminated the vegetables. Occupational exposure and direct consumption of these vegetables may cause pesticide poisoning (Farina et al 2016). Heavy metals residual from chemical pesticides and fertilizer such as manganese (Mn), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) also among the elements found in the soil from farms in Ringlet and Tanah Rata.…”

Occurrences of Organochlorine Pesticides along the Course of the Buffalo River in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and Its Health Implications

“…Human exposure can be through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal contact, which might result in many toxicological health effects [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ], including endocrine disruptions, reproduction and birth defects, immune system dysfunction, and cancer [ 13 , 14 ]. OCPs are efficiently transported into the aquatic systems by infiltration, runoff, and atmospheric deposition as a result of their volatilization [ 6 , 15 , 16 ]. They are found in the water systems both in dissolved and particle-bound forms.…”

Data on organochlorine concentration levels in soil of lowland paddy field, Kelantan, Malaysia

“…The estimation risk of detected pesticide toward human was calculated using the hazard quotient formula. Reference dose for hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (3 × 10 − 4 ), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane family (5 × 10 − 4 ) and endosulfan sulphate (6 × 10 − 4 ) expressed in mg kg − 1 day − 1 [4] , [6] . The present status was in the range of 2.68 × 10 − 6 –4.18 × 10 −6 and 1.24 × 10 − 4 –9.17 × 10 − 4 for adult and child exposures, respectively ( Table 4 ).…”