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Assessment of organochlorine pesticide pollution in Upper Awash Ethiopian state farm soils using selective pressurised liquid extraction.

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Author

  • Rikard Westbom
  • Ahmed Hussen
  • Negussie Megersa
  • Negussie Retta
  • Lennart Mathiasson
  • Erland Björklund

Summary, in English

Upper Awash Agro Industry Enterprises (UAAIE) is one of the major state farms in Ethiopia with known large-scale pesticide use. Although organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been applied for about three decades, no studies have been carried out on levels of residue in the region. In this work a fast selective pressurised liquid extraction (SPLE) methodology has successfully been applied for screening of 13 OCPs in 12 soil samples from different fields in UAAIE, which further strengthen this methodology. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were done using a dual column gas chromatography-electron capture detection system (GC-ECD) and a GC equipped with a mass spectrometer (MS), respectively. The main contaminants identified comprised of previously used persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and currently used insecticides. Low concentrations or non-detectable levels of certain OCPs (aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, and heptachlor) indicate a positive phasing out of these persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Similarly HCHs were found in few soils and at low concentrations. Endosulfans and DDTs were detected in substantial amounts in the soils with Sigmaendosulfans up to 56000 and SigmaDDTs up to 230ngg(-1) dry weight, which is a threat to the surrounding and downstream ecosystems, especially considering that the investigated OCPs constituted 29000l of the 63000l of pesticide applied annually on the fields. Additional concerns must be raised concerning synergistic effects of all pesticides added.

Publishing year

2008

Language

English

Pages

1181-1187

Publication/Series

Chemosphere

Volume

72

Issue

8

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Environmental Sciences

Keywords

  • Organochlorine pesticides
  • Persistent organic pollutants
  • Soil
  • Ethiopia
  • Selective pressurised liquid extraction

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1879-1298