Surveillance of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables from Accra Metropolis markets, Ghana, 2010–2012: a case study in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2017-07, Vol.24 (20), p.17187-17205
• Main Authors: Fosu, Paul Osei, Donkor, Augustine, Ziwu, Cephas, Dubey, Brajesh, Kingsford-Adaboh, Robert, Asante, Isaac, Nyarko, Stephen, Tawiah, Rose, Nazzah, Noble
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agrochemicals; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Beans; Commodities; Consumers; Cyhalothrin; Deltamethrin; Dimethoate; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental science; Fenitrothion; Fenvalerate; Food Contamination; Food plants; Fruit; Fruits; Ghana; Health; Insecticides; Markets; Permethrin; Pesticide residues; Pesticide Residues - analysis; Pesticides; Research Article; Residues; Vegetables; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-9287-8

Monitoring of pesticide residues in food commodities of plant origin is part of the regular controls on food to safeguard consumer’s health. This study reports for the first time in Ghana a 3-year (2010–2012) monitoring of pesticide contamination of fruits and vegetables and their health implications. A total of 3483 samples were purchased in notable markets within Accra Metropolis and analysed for pesticide residues, employing the modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe analytical procedure. The results indicated that almost all the fruits and vegetables studied had residues above maximum residue limits (MRLs). The commodities with the greatest concentrations exceeding the European Union (EU) MRLs were long green beans (60.6%) and lettuce (57.1%) with watermelon (10%) and green pepper (8.6%) having the least. The relative occurrence of the pesticides was fenvalerate 11.3%, fenitrothion 5.6%, lambda-cyhalothrin 3.6%, dimethoate 3.2%, permethrin 2.7% and deltamethrin 2.2%. These results will serve as a baseline on which annual or other long-term studies could be compared with, thus emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring programmes to regulate trends of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables to safeguard the consumers’ health.