Environmental & Analytical Toxicology

Pesticide Residues in Buffalo and Human Breast Milk of Vegetables and Fruits Farming Community at Northern of Delta in Egypt

Abstract

Moustafa M.S. Abbassy

This study was carried out to determine the potential occurrence of pesticide residues in the milk of buffalo and women, which exists in vegetables and fruits farming community in Rosetta region Northern of Delta, Egypt. Milk samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-electron capture detector. Halogenated pesticides were selected includes: 1- Organochlorines; Hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (a, ß, ?-HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p, p' – DDT) and its degradates; p, p'-DDD and DDE, and cyclodiene compounds; Aldrin, dieldrin and endrin. 2- Organophosphorous pesticides; Chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos methyl and profenofos. 3- Pyrethroids; Cypermethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin. The tested organochlorine pesticides were detected in most of the samples analyzed at lower frequencies and levels ranged from 2.38 to 3.57 µg/kg in buffalo than of human milk (2.4-5.78 µg/kg). Whereas organophosphorous and pyrethroids found at high predominance of frequencies among all the tested compounds in the buffalo milk than in human milk analyzed. Generally, all samples were positive for at least one of the pesticides; Chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos, methyl, profenfos or cypermethrin with mean levels ranged from 1.9 to 5.14 µg/kg of the two milk types, except lambdacyhalothrin at below detection limit in all human breast milk samples. Statistically, significant difference and correlation of organochlorines levels (but no significant difference or correlation for organophosphorous and pyrethroids) were found between the two types of milk investigated. The data available for estimation of daily intakes (ADIs) and extraneous and maximum residue limits (ERLs & MRLs) revealed that these compounds were found to be lower than the safety thresholds level. Results of this study indicated that in spite of the banning much of organochlorine pesticides (rather than the currently applied (e.g., organophosphorous and pyrethroid pesticides), still contaminating the food stuffs, particularly milk.