Determination of Organochlorine, Organophosphorus and Pyrethroid Pesticide Residues in Water and Sediment Samples by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with UV/visible Detector

Abstract

The concentrations of some organochlorine, organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticide residues in water and sediment samples from river Challawa were investigated using High Performance liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with UV/visible Detector. The concentrations of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticide residues were significantly higher in the sediment samples when compared to water samples. According to the concentrations and detection frequency dieldrin and aldrin were the most dominant compounds among the organochlorine pesticide residues, while chlorpyrifos and dichlovos; permethrin and deltamethrin were the dominant compound among the organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides respectively. The result also indicates that the water and sediment samples within the study area were contaminated by dichlovos, diazinon, chlorpyrifos, fenitrothion, dieldrin, aldrin, DDT, DDE and DDDs. The results also show that there is still exists a variety of the studied pesticide in the water and sediment from river Challawa. Despite bans and restrictions on the usage of some of these pesticides in Nigeria, the observed concentrations of the studied Organochlorine and organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticidesin the eight sample points could explain either their persistence in the environment or continued use in the study area.