ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDE RESIDUAL LEVELS IN FRUIT JUICE PRODUCED IN ACCRA, GHANA

Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were determined in twenty (20) pineapple and cocktail fruit juice of eight (8) brands collected from various markets in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Each brand was replicated thrice or twice based on diffrrent batch number. A survey was conducted to ascertain farmers view on organochlorine pesticides and pesticide/insecticide used during pineapple and mango production. Fruit juice samples were also analysed to investigate pesticide residue levels in them. Fruit juice samples were analysed by gas chromatography prepared with electron capture detector for organochlorines. Thirty (30) mango and twenty-five (25) pineapple farmers interviewed used pyrethroid based pesticides in controlling insect pest on their farm.Aldrin (0.007 ± 0.004 mg/kg), Dieldrin (0.001 ± 0.003 mg/kg), Endrin (0.0004 ± 0.001 mg/kg) cis heptachlor (0.000001 ± 0 mg/kg), Heptachlor (0.09 ± 0.088 mg/kg), trans heptachlor (0.0003 ± 0.001 mg/kg), trans_nonachlor (0.003 ± 0.004 mg/kg), alpha_HCH (0.002 ± 0.001 mg/kg), beta_HCH (0.000001 ± 0 mg/kg), delta_HCH (0.007 ± 0.008 mg/kg), gamma_HCH (0.003 ± 0.006 mg/kg), cis chlordane (0.000001±0 mg/kg), Hexachlorobenzene (0.0008 ± 0.001 mg/kg), o_p_DDD (0.00024 ± 0.001 mg/kg), p_p_DDD (0.005 ± 0.007 mg/kg) o_p_DDE (0.000001 ± 0 mg/kg), p_p_DDE (0.0006 ± 0.001 mg/kg), o_p_DDT (0.0009 ± 0.001 mg/kg), and p_p_DDT (0.0003 ± 0.001 mg/kg) were present in all the samples collected. The observations made on this studies, suggest that, effective regulations guiding the use of pesticides on fruits should be enforced and regular checks of pesticide residues in freshly consumed products