Distribution of 19 organochlorinated pesticides residues in ginseng and soils in Jilin Province, China

Abstract

The organochlorinated pesticides widely applied and still remains in soils, has become toxic to ginseng production in Jilin Province. In this study, 19 trace organochlorinated pesticide residues in five types of ginseng products and soil samples from four ginseng production areas were analyzed using a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for simultaneous measurement. The ginseng and soil samples were extracted with acetonitrile. The extracts were cleaned up by solid phase extraction using a column of 6 ml Florisil. The 19 organochlorinated pesticides were separated through a DB-17 MS capillary column and were measured by GC-MS. The recoveries rate ranged from 71 to 112%. The results show that organochlorinated pesticides residues ranged from 0.01 to 0.04 mg/kg in these samples. Endosulfan I and endosulfan II were 0.04 mg/kg in the four places. Higher-levels organochlorinated pesticides residues were alpha-benzene hexachloride (α-BHC), pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB), endosulfan I and endosulfan II in five kinds of ginseng products. Except for α-BHC, preserved fresh ginseng had very low concentration of organochlorinated pesticides residues. Mould pressing steamed red ginseng, white ginseng with fibrous root, red and white ginseng all showed high residue concentration of α-BHC, PCNB, endosulfan I and endosulfan II. This indicated that the hyperaccumulation of organochlorinated pesticides residues occurred in ginseng. It was therefore suggested that α-BHC, PCNB, endosulfan I and endosulfan II should not be used in ginseng production in Jilin Province.

Key words: Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometry, ginseng, organochlorinated pesticide residues,solid-phase extraction.