Evaluation of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides residues in the sediment and muscles of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) fish from a River Nile Canal, Egypt

Abstract

The paper reports the levels of multi-pesticide residues in the sediment and fish (Oreochromis niloticus) muscle collected from Bahr Shebeen Canal (BSC), a River Nile Canal, from September 2014 to December 2015. Samples were analysed using capillary GC chromatography, and average pesticide residue concentrations were determined. The results indicated the presence of different types of organophosphorus (OPPs) and organochlorine (OCPs) pesticides in varying degrees. Both types of residue in the sediment samples were higher than in fish muscle. The spatial and seasonal variations of OPPs and OCPs levels in sediment and fish muscle are discussed. It was found that these levels were higher than those detected from other Egyptian localities and also higher than the international permissible limits. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor the pesticide residues continuously in this, and similar, water resources to ensure the protection of the aquatic food resources.

Keywords:

• Pesticides
• sediments
• Oreochromis niloticus
• Nile Canal
• Egypt