ECOLOGICAL AND HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT OF OCP CONGENERS IN AGRICULTURAL SOIL ALONG RIVER CHENAB CATCHMENT

Pesticide contamination of agricultural soil is matter of concern owing to associated food safety. Based on the pertinent literature survey no other study has reported the ecological and total carcinogenic risk assessment of OCPs in agricultural soils of the study area. This study aims to assess the occurrence, distribution and source apportionment of OCP congeners along with probable ecological and human health risk evaluation. The agricultural soil samples (n=165) were collected from selected food crops fields along tributaries of Nullah Aik and Nullah Palkhu. After extraction and clean up samples were analyzed using GCMS. The residues of ΣOCPs were detected ranging from 63.45 ng/g – 124.81 ng/g (mean 94.80 ng/g) with highest detection range (11.37 - 19.95 ng/g) of DDT. The findings of spatial distribution revealed the highest pollution load downstream of both Nullahs. SQGQ for all sampling sites were greater than 1 suggesting high risk to ecological integrities to DDTs in Soil. Total Carcinogenic Risk (TCR) was ranging from 6.75E-09 - 1.57E-07 with risk order of dermal > ingestion > inhalation. The assessment of the results revealed that carcinogenic risk is within the acceptable limit (10-6) suggesting no potential carcinogenic risk to human health to selected OCPs through contaminated soils in the study area.