Monitoring of some organochlorine residues in raw bovine milk in the west Delta area, Egypt

Abstract

Background: For decades, the use of organochlorine (OC) pesticides has had a detrimental effect on the environment
and human health. Contamination of soil, water, and air has also resulted in contaminated milk.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate if any OC residues dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT, Dieldrin,
Endrin, and Lindane) were present in raw bovine milk from West Delta, Egypt.
Methods: 200 fresh raw cow milk samples (500 ml of each sample) collected from three different governorates, west
Delta, Egypt, for determination of OC pesticides residues using gas chromatography with an Agilent 6890A model gas
chromatograph equipped with a 63Ni microelectron capture detector.
Results: The obtained results revealed that åDDT, dieldrin, endrin, and lindane were detected in Alexandria, Behera,
and Matrouh at incidence levels (22.7%, 30.7%, and 10%), (20%, 20%, and 16%), (9.33%, 13.3%, and 16%), and (12%, 10.7%, and 14%) with mean values of 232.2 ± 163.6, 156.4 ± 134.6 and 100.4 ± 85.9; 91.3 ± 61.2, 95.3 ± 59.8 and 57.6 ± 3.33; 15.7± 3.86, 15.1 ± 3.96 and 20.1 ± 7.33; 33.7 ± 10.6, 36.9 ± 5.51 and 52.2 ± 21.8 ng/g fat, respectively. El-Behera was the most contaminated province with an incidence level of 53.3% with a mean value of 136.8 ± 128.0 ng/g fat, followed by Alexandria at 44% with a mean value of 173.7 ± 155.5 ng/g fat, and finally, Matrouh 40% with a mean value of 74.5 ± 56.5 ng/g fat.
Conclusion: This research demonstrated that milk samples contain varying levels of OC pesticide residues, which can
be hazardous to consumer health. Therefore, to safeguard consumers, especially children, and the elderly, OC pesticide
residues in milk must be closely monitored.