Analysis of Pesticide Residues in Palm Oil obtained from Ankpa, Olamaboro and Dekina Local Government Areas of Kogi State

Abstract

In this study, sample extraction and clean-up were achieved by employing the multi-residue techniques consisting of the QuEChERS and acetonitrile sample extraction methods. Analysis was done using gas chromatography with a mass spectrometric detector (GC-MS). The concentration (µg/kg) of pesticides residue in palm oil samples were: chlorpyrifos (0.0125-0.02), DDVP (0.068-0.068), parathion (0.028-0.028), Dimethoate (0.0175-0.2875), BHC (0.043-0.160), endosulfan I (0.017-0.017), dieldrin (0.095-0.098), endrin (0.070-0.041), endosulfan II (0.058-0.058), DDT (0.05-0.140) and methoxychlor (0.008-0.0525). Dieldrin showed the highest concentration value in the palm oil samples, while chlopyrifos had the least. The results revealed that the pesticide residue concentration analyzed samples was below maximum residue limits, indicating that palm oil in Kogi L.G.A. is less contaminated and less harmful. Keywords: Palm oil, pesticides residues, GC-MS, QuEChERS