ANALYSIS OF ORGANOCHLORINE AND ORGANOPHOSPHATE PESTICIDE RESIDUES CONCENTRATION IN OWE RIVER, ILE-OLUJI, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA.

Omogbehin Samson Adehuga, Umar Itopa Sheriff and Olatunji Olalekan
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State
Corresponding Author: adehugasamson@gmail.com

ABSRTACT

Pollution of Water caused by synthetic pesticides in water bodies have been a great concern globally and in developing countries such as Nigeria in particular as most of these pesticide compounds are persistent and bio-accumulative with high toxicity effects on ecosystems and humans. Among these pollutants, Organochlorine and Organophosphate Pesticides are found as one of the most hazardous because of their toxicity to organisms. This study  investigate the levels of Organochlorine and Organophosphate pesticide residues in samples of water collected from Owe river, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State. Composite samples of the waters were collected randomly from four sampling point and analyzed for Organochlorine and Organophosphate pesticide residues using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer The results shows the presence of the Organochlorine pesticide residues  in the following  range: beta.- Lindane  (0.01—0.06); Gamma – Lindane (0.03—0.25); delta – Lindane (0.16—2.26); Endosulfan ether  (0.86-4.96); aldrin (BDL— 0.03); Chlordane (ND—0.36); alpha-endosulphan (BDL –0.09); Dicofol (ND— 0.05); Mirex (0.02 – 0.03); beta-endosulphan (0.06— 1.11); p,p,, DDT (0.05—0.07); Heptachlor (0.03—0.05); endrin (0.01—0.03); Methoxychlor (0.06— 0.07) and Organophosphate pesticide residues in the following range: azinphos methyl (0.32); Coumaphos (0.35-0.38); Dimethoate (4.13 -28.57); Merphos (0.13-3.93). The results revealed higher level of Organochlorine in the water and the Organophosphate residues. The mean concentrations of some of the sampling sites were below the permissible limit for WHO while some are higher than the permissible limit. This therefore necessitates a continuous monitoring.

Keywords: Organochlorine, Organophosphate Gas Chromatography, Pollution, Water