Organochlorine pesticide residue and heavy metals in leguminous food crops from selected markets in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residues and potentially toxic metals in beans and cowpea. The OCPs and potentially toxic metals were analyzed using GC coupled with electron capture detector and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The moisture content (%) and ash (%) were 6.0–8.0% and 6.0–10.0% for beans and 6.0–8.0% and 7.5–14.5% for cowpea, respectively. Cowpea Oje had the highest level of OCPs with dieldrin (20.14 ± 0.28), aldrin (7.81 ± 0.13), γ-benzene hexachloride (0.24 ± 0.11), pp-DDE (1.23 ± 0.16), endrin (1.82 ± 0.14), endosulfan II (16.90 ± 0.00), pp-DDT (1.82 ± 0.78), endrin CHO (12.89 ± 0.14), and endosulfan (13.49 ± 0.13), whereas beans Bodija had the lowest value of OCPs with dieldrin (0.99 ± 0.0), endosulfan II (1.02 ± 0.01), and endrin CHO (1.66 ± 0.12), which are all above the maximum residue limits. For the potentially toxic metals, lead was only found in cowpea Bodija and was below detection limit in other markets. Zn, Fe, Cu, and Cr were also detected in the samples.