Organochlorine pesticide residues in Uganda’s honey as a bioindicator of environmental contamination and reproductive health implications to consumers
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Abstract
Honey has multifaceted nutritional and medicinal values; however, its quality is hinged on the floral origin of the
nectar. Taking advantage of the large areas that they cover; honeybees are often used as bioindicators of environmental
contamination. The focus of the present paper was to examine the quality of honey from within the
vicinity of an abandoned pesticide store in Masindi District in western Uganda. Surficial soils (< 20 cm depths)
and honey samples were collected from within the vicinity of the abandoned pesticide store and analysed for
organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues using gas chromatograph coupled to an electron capture detector (GCECD).
The mean level of ΣDDTs in all the soil samples was 503.6 μg/kg dry weight (d.w). ΣDDTs contributed
92.2% to the ΣOCPs contamination loads in the soil samples, and others (lindane, aldrin, dieldrin, and endosulfans)
contributed only 7.8%. Ratio (p, p′-DDE + p, p′ -DDD)/p, p′ -DDT of 1.54 suggested historical DDT input
in the area. In all the honey samples, the mean level of ΣDDTs was 20.9 μg/kg. ΣDDTs contributed 43.3% to ΣOCPs contamination loads in the honey samples, followed by lindane (29.8%), endosulfans (23.6%) and
dieldrin (3.2%), with corresponding mean levels of 14.4, 11.4 and 1.55 μg/kg, respectively. Reproductive risk
assessment was done based on the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) procedure. In our study, the
calculated HIs for adults (102.38), and children (90.33) suggested high potential health risks to the honey
consumers. Lindane, endosulfan and p, p′ -DDD detected in the honey samples at levels exceeding the acute
reference dose (ARfD) are known risk factors for spontaneous abortion, reduced implantation, menstrual cycle
shortening, impaired semen quality, and prostate cancer in exposed individuals and experimental animal models.
Description
Keywords
Organochlorine pesticides, Honey, Consumers, Reproductive health, Dietary intake
Citation
Mukiibi, S. B., Nyanzi, S. A., Kwetegyeka, J., Olisah, C., Taiwo, A. M., Mubiru, E., ... & Ssebugere, P. (2021). Organochlorine pesticide residues in Uganda’s honey as a bioindicator of environmental contamination and reproductive health implications to consumers. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 214, 112094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112094