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.