Browsing by Author "Idowu GA"

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    Organochlorine pesticide residues in pods and beans of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) from Ondo State Central District, Nigeria
    (2022) Idowu GA; Aiyesanmi AF; Oyegoke FO
    Organochlorine pesticides have been restricted or banned in many regions of the world due to the proven and potential health risks associated with their use. This notwithstanding, the compounds are still being detected in human fluid samples. International trades involving exchange of foodstuffs grown in areas where the use of organochlorine pesticides persists is one of the reasons why the compounds are still found in human samples. In this study, occurrence and levels of organochlorine residues were investigated in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), the major food commodity exported from Nigeria. Cocoa pod and beans samples were obtained from nine randomly selected cocoa farms in Ondo Central District (the largest cocoa-producing region in Nigeria) and were analysed for organochlorine pesticides by gas chromatography and electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Ten organochlorine compounds (α-HCH, β-HCH, δ-HCH, heptachlor epoxide, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan I, endosulfan II and p,p’-DDD) were detected in various combinations in the cocoa pod and bean samples, at concentrations ranging from 0.006 mg/kg (α-HCH) to 2.43 mg/kg (endrin). Endrin, aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, δ-HCH, β-HCH and p,p’-DDD exceeded their maximum residue limit (MRL) in the samples. β-HCH in particular showed high rate of penetration from outer pods into the inner cocoa beans. The study revealed possible route of exposure of humans and livestock to organochlorine compounds, and would be useful for progressive monitoring of cocoa outputs of this region for potential health and environmental risks.