Dichlorvos Residue Levels in Beans and Stockfish from Akungba-Akoko Market, Nigeria

Pesticide residues in commonly consumed food commodities remain an important public health concern in developing countries. This study assessed the average concentration of dichlorvos in brown beans, white beans, and stockfish randomly purchased from Ibaka Market, Akungba Akoko, Nigeria, over a three-month period (February, April, and June, 2023). A total of twenty-seven (27) samples were purchased and analyzed for the presence of dichlorvos using Liquid Chromatography-Mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Dichlorvos was detected in all samples throughout the sampling periods. Mean residue concentrations ranged from 1.48 × 10⁻⁵ to 1.88 × 10⁻⁵ ppm in the beans, while stockfish exhibited significantly higher levels (2.94 × 10⁻⁵ ppm) at P<.05 The elevated levels in stockfish show a higher frequency of pesticide application during storage and potential bioaccumulation due to commodity-specific storage practices. Temporal variations were noted across the sampling periods, with April values being slightly higher in most commodities. All measured dichlorvos levels were, however, lower than both the FAO/WHO maximum residue limits (0.1 mg/kg) and the Nigerian national permissible limit (0.01 mg/kg). The Estimated Daily Intakes (EDIs) ranged from 2.11×10-9 to 4.20×10-9 with the stockfish having the highest concentration. The values were, howere, lower than the Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) of 0.004 mg/kg bw/d. The Target Hazard Quotient were also below 1. These results suggest low risk of dichlorvos exposure from consumption of these commodities in Akungba Akoko. Continuous monitoring, however, is recommended to ensure food safety and health protection of the population.