Assessment of organochlorine pesticide residues in raw food samples from open markets in two African cities.
This study investigates the level of organochlorine pesticides in the raw food from open markets in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Johannesburg, South Africa. It assesses the potential health risks associated with the organochlorine pesticide residues. The Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) method has been developed for sample preparation. A total of 120 food samples (beans, cabbage, beef, and fish) were obtained from the open markets. The mean concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in raw foods collected from the Johannesburg market were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those from the Kinshasa market. DDE recorded the highest mean concentration (253.58 ± 4.78 μg kg-1) in beef from Johannesburg, and α-BHC recorded the lowest mean concentration (38.54 ± 7.46 μg kg-1) in beans from Kinshasa. The investigation of health risk estimates revealed that the number of organochlorine pesticides exceeded the reference dose in the collected food samples.
Molecular Sciences Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Yannick
Y
Nuapia
Molecular Sciences Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Luke
L
Chimuka
Molecular Sciences Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa. Electronic address: Ewa.Cukrowska@wits.ac.za.
Ewa
E
Cukrowska
D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D003257:Consumer Product Safety / Q000592:standards*; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D066256:Raw Foods / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013019:South Africa
D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010573:Pesticide Residues
Health risk; Johannesburg; Kinshasa; Organochlorine pesticides