Abstract

The widespread application of pesticides in agriculture, public health programs and industry as well as around the home can result in the accumulation of pesticides in the environment, however, milk could be contaminated by pesticides from fodder and soil or with ingestion of insecticides. Therefore, a survey had conducted to investigate the magnitude of contamination of buffalo’s milk with organochlorine (OC), organophosphorous (OP) and synthetic pyrethroids pesticides and also to detect the effect of boiling of milk on concentration of these pesticides. The obtained results revealed that OCPs (HCB, α-, β-, ϒ- HCH isomers, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, ϒ- chlordan, aldrin, endrin, methoxychlor, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD) were detected at high values exceeded the tolerance levels of FAO/WHO and EU. Concerning OP pesticides, the maximum residual levels (MRLs) of dimethoate, pirimiphos-methyl as well as its arithmetic mean were higher than MRLs set by FAO/WHO . On the other hand, cypermethrin concentration as pyrethroids exceeded the limits of FAO/WHO and EU. With using boiling process of milk, OC pesticide residues were reduced with different percentages while pyrethroid and OP pesticide residues were eliminated due to the effect of heat treatment. Health risks were found to be associated with heptachlor and its metabolite, heptachlor epoxide. Accordingly, monitoring survey of pesticide residues in milk is necessary to protect consumer health.

Key words: Organochlorine pesticide residues, synthetic pyrethroids residues, organophosphorous (OP) pesticides, buffalo’s milk.