Estimation of the Most Widespread Pesticides in Agricultural Soils Collected from Some Egyptian Governorates

Abstract

Pesticides are usually used in agriculture practice for field and post-harvest protection, whereas their prolonged persistence in the environment may lead to high toxicity to humans and animals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the detection of different pesticide residues in agricultural soil samples collected from four Egyptian governorates. A total of forty agricultural soil samples were collected during the period from April to June 2020. Samples were extracted using a QuEChERS method and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Data revealed that agricultural soil samples from Damietta governorate were highly contaminated (80.00%) by different pesticide residues, followed by Fayoum (40.00%), Menia (36.36%), and Alexandria (10.00%) governorates. The pesticide residues detected in soil samples belonged to the following chemical groups; triazole (21.43%), organophosphate, neonicotinoid, and pyrethroid (10.71%), and others. Among the insecticides detected in soil samples from Damietta governorate were malathion, acetamiprid, and methomyl at concentrations of 10.315, 0.725, and 0.395 mg/kg respectively. The fungicide carbendazim was also detected in soil samples from Damietta governorate at a concentration of 18.303 mg/kg. Meanwhile, in Alexandria governorate, no fungicides were detected in soil samples. The herbicide, oxyfluorfen was detected in soil samples from Menia governorate, whereas pendimethalin and thiobencarb were detected in soil samples from Damietta governorate. Data also revealed that herbicides were not detected in soil samples from both Alexandria and Fayoum governorates. This study shed light on the presence of different pesticide residues in agricultural soil samples in Egypt, and which may affect agricultural products grown on contaminated agricultural soil.