Evaluation of pesticides residues distribution in fresh and smoked body parts of Clarias gariepinus and assessment of possible health risks in Nigeria

Abstract

Pesticides residues in fresh and smoked body parts of Clarias gariepinus were investigated to evaluate their contamination status and risks to human health. The results gave an overview of the contamination levels of these (head, body trunk and liver) fish parts. The pesticides [organochlorine (OC), organophosphorus (OP), pyrethroids (PY) and others like: guazatine, methoprene, metalaxyl and imidachloprid] concentration in the fresh and smoked body parts ranged from 0.002 to 0.221 µg/kg and 0.002 to 0.175 µg/kg, with mean concentration of 0.002–0.218 µg/kg and 0.002–0.126 µg/kg, respectively. Smoking was observed to reduce the overall pesticide concentration as follows: head (0.23 µg/kg or 17.3%), liver (0.34 µg/kg or 29.8%) and muscles (0.41 µg/kg or 27.2%). The pesticides contents were significantly lower than standard daily intake and the risk associated with consumption of the fish also showed that the fish posed no potential threat to consumers.

Keywords:

• Fresh and smoked fish samples
• pesticide residues
• gas chromatography
• health risk

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund). [TETFUND/DESS/UNI/ADO-EKITI/RP/VOL. IV NO 12.]