Health Risk Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Selected Staple Foods from Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the levels and health threat assessment of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and heavy metal (HM) residues in five selected foodstuffs—sorghum, maize, rice, garri (processed fried cassava), and beans—randomly collected from three markets within the Abeokuta metropolis in southwestern Nigeria. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) methods were used to analyze the foodstuffs for OCPs and HMs, respectively. The collected data were analyzed using simple descriptive and inferential statistics. Health risk indices, including non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects, were estimated for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and heavy metals (HMs) in food samples. The findings revealed that the concentrations of OCPs and HMs in many food samples exceeded the recommended dietary allowances. The risk index values of OCPs and estimated HMs in each foodstuff exceed the permissible limit of 1.0, indicating potential negative health impacts, although not cancer-causing. Dieldrin was the largest contributor to adverse health effects, ranging from 10 to 98%, while Pb had the highest contribution, with values between 43 and 54%. The combined cancer risk of OCPs and HMs was above the allowable limit of 1 x 10-4, suggesting a potential risk for cancer development. The data on OCPs and HMs in the analyzed foodstuffs represent direct threats to public health.