title: Studies on organochlorine pesticide residue in fishes from the Densu river basin, Ghana.
abstract: The study was carried out to determine the levels of organochlorine pesticide residue in five fish species Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Hepsetus odoe, Tilapia zilli, Heterotis niloticus and Oreochromis niloticus from the Densu river basin (Weija) in Ghana. The fishes sampled from the Weija fish landing site were selected on the basis of their importance to local human fish consumption. The detectable organochlorine pesticides were γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), δ-Hexachlorocyclohexane, aldrin and dieldrin. Others investigated were alpha endosulfan, endosulfan sulfate, p,p'-DDT and its metabolite p,p'-DDE, endrin and its metabolite endrin aldehyde and endrin ketone. The total contamination levels of the individual fishes varied in the decreasing order of 9.19 ng g(-1) (O. niloticus), 4.16 ng g(-1) (T. zilli), 3.69 ng g(-1) (C. nigrodigitatus), 3.68 ng g(-1) (H. odoe) and 3.09 ng g(-1) (H. niloticus). The highest organochlorine pesticide residue recorded in the study was alpha-endosulfan while dieldrin was the least pesticide observed. Analysis of variance indicated significant statistical differences for most organochlorine pesticide residues in the samples. The levels of organochlorine pesticides found in fish samples in the study were below maximum residue limit for food safety stipulated by EU, US FDA, FAO, Italy and Australia and thus safe for human consumption.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Chemistry and Environmental Research Centre, National Nuclear Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Post Office Box LG 80, Legon-Accra, Ghana. hettymens2004@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuranchie-Mensah
authors.forename: Philip O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Yeboah
authors.forename: Elvis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nyarko
authors.forename: Abledze A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Golow
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020387:Food Chain; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005869:Ghana; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010573:Pesticide Residues