INSECTICIDE RESIDUES IN SOME STORED GRAINS IN MUBI, ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA AND THEIR POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS ON THEIR CONSUMER

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the level of residue of permethrin (pifpaf), Aluminium phosphide (cyclone) and Dichlovors (dakshi) in protected grains of cowpea, maize and bambaranut groundnut each stored for 1 month, 3 month, and 6 months in Mubi (10° 16 N, 13° 10 E) Nigeria. Based on grain type and time of storage, the pesticide were extracted from 2g of powdered grains using acetonitrite and methanol (4:1) and then analyzed for the composite fractions using the high performance liquid chromatography technique. The result shows that each of the grains has residues of all the insecticide considered in the study. On average, cowpea had higher levels of insecticide residues while maize had lower over the study period. The lowest residue of any of the insecticide (1.0mg/kg of dakshi, 1.04mg/kg of cyclone and 1.11mg/kg of pifpaf) 6 months after storage was higher than the FAO no-observed adverse effect level, even though residue levels decreased with storage time. The implications of the findings on insecticide based stored grains protected by Nigerian merchants/farmers are discussed.