Dietary intake of organophosphorus pesticide residues through vegetables from Kumasi, Ghana

Contamination and health risk hazards of organophosphorus pesticides residues in vegetables were studied. Ethyl-chlorpyrifos, observed at an average level of 0.211 +/- 0.010 mg kg(-1) in 42% of tomato, 0.096 +/- 0.035 mg kg(-1) in 10% of eggplant and 0.021 +/- 0.013 mg kg(-1) in 16% of pepper was below the 0.5 mg kg(-1) MRL Dichlorvos was the most frequently detected residue in all the samples analyzed. Levels of malathion in tomatoes (0.120 +/- 0.101 mg kg(-1)) and pepper (0.143 +/- 0.042 mg kg(-1)) exceeded the MRL of 0.1 mg kg(-1). Health risks were found to be associated with methyl-chlorpyrifos, ethyl-chlorpyrifos, and omethioate in tomatoes and methyl- chlorpyrifos, ethyl-chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, monocrotophos and omethioate in. eggplant. Routine monitoring of these pollutants in food items is required to prevent, control and reduce the pollution and to minimize health risks. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.