Levels of persistent organic pollutants in habanero pepper vegetable (Capsicum chinense) from Abia and Imo States, Nigeria: The health implication

Abstract

Levels of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were established soil and vegetable samples obtained from four sites, Aba and Umuahia for Abia State then Mbaise and Amaigbo for Imo State of Nigeria. Multistep strategies for detection of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were used which included sample preparation, highly selective and sensitive instrumental techniques and quality assurance and control. For the soil samples, ƩDDT ranged from <LOD to 0.011 mg/kg, suggesting contamination below detection limit in Aba and Umuahia and low contamination in Mbaise and Amaigbo soils; PCBs were in the range of <0.001 to 0.021 mg/kg indicating values within tolerable daily intake except in Amaigbo where the precautionary target value was slightly exceeded; ƩPFOS ranged from 0.001 to 0.005 mg/kg, exceeding trigger values in Umuahia, Mbaise and Amaigbo, while ƩPAH ranged from 0.068 to 0.276 mg/kg, suggesting slight pollution in Aba and no pollution in Umuahia, Mbaise and Amaigbo. For the pepper samples, values of ƩDDT ranged from not detected to 0.006 mg/kg which were far below World Health Organization (WHO) Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) value. PCBs recorded in the pepper vegetables were all safe according to WHO 2003 (<0.001 – 0.11 mg/kg). Values for ƩPFOS ranged from <0.001 to 0.010 mg/kg, which were below tolerable weekly intake according to EFSA, 2020, while ƩPAH₄ with range of values from 0.013 to 0.216 mg/kg do not present health risk to consumers based on the margin of exposure results. In conclusion, values of DDT were seen to be below WHO MRL values, the PCBs were safe going by WHO, values of PFOS were below tolerable weekly intake and PAH values in the pepper do not present health risk to consumers. However, observation of good agricultural practices, monitoring, controlling, risk assessments and reviewing of public policies and regulations are highly recommended to minimize POP contamination in food.