Persistent organochlorine pesticide residues in fish, sediments and water from Lake Bosomtwi, Ghana

Some organochlorine pesticide residues in tilapia fish (Tilapiazilli), sediment and water samples from Lake Bosomtwi (the largest natural lake in Ghana) were determined to find out the extent of pesticide contamination and accumulation in the lake. The extracted residues were analyzed on a micro-capillary gas chromatograph equipped with electron capture detector. DDE (p,p′-1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene) was the predominant residue in all the samples analyzed; detected in 82% of water samples, 98% of sediment samples and 58% of fish samples at concentrations of 0.061 ± 0.03 ng g−1, 8.342 ± 2.96 ng g−1 and 5.232 ± 1.30 ng g−1, respectively. DDT (p,p′-1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)ethane) was detected in 78% at a mean concentration 0.012 ± 0.62 ng g−1 of water samples analyzed. The mean concentrations of DDT in sediments and fish were 4.41 ± 1.54 ng g−1 and 3.645 ± 1.81 ng g−1, respectively. The detection of lower levels of DDT than its metabolite, DDE, in the samples implies that the presence of these contaminants in the lake is as result of past usage of the pesticides.