Determination of pesticide residues in soil of Nawabshah district, Sindh, Pakistan.

Abstract

Pesticide residues of organophosphate (OP) and organochlorine (OC) of most commonly used classes were monitored in soil samples collected from cotton growing areas in Nawabshah district, Sindh. All the 19 soil samples presently analyzed were found contaminated with used pesticides (i.e. dichlorvos, dimethoate, methyl parathion, fenitrothion, endosulfan, mevinphos, chlorpyriphos and profenofos) and the varying degree of concentration and frequency were found in the top soil. The most widely detected pesticide was chlorpyriphos found in 16 samples with mean concentration of 0.486 mg kg -1 . Endosulfan was the second most often detected pesticide investigated in 15 samples containing the mean concentrations of 0.426 mg kg -1 . Dimethoate was the third most detected pesticide in 14 samples with mean concentration of 0.555 mg kg -1 .