Screening for pesticide residues in soil and crop samples in Egypt

Abstract

Pesticide application is an important issue in intensive agricultural production to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. This study aimed to the determination of pesticide residues from soil samples cultivated with different crops. Forty soil samples from four governorates, ten samples each (Kafr El-Sheikh, El-Beheira, Giza, and Menoufia) were collected for pesticides multi-residual analysis. Also, fifteen vegetable samples were collected from Giza governorate and analyzed for the presence of pesticide residues. Obtained data revealed that soil samples of Giza governorate recorded the highest level of pesticide residues contamination with 70% positive samples followed by Kafr El-Sheikh and Menoufia governorates with 60% positive samples and finally El-Beheira governorate recorded the lowest level of pesticide residues contamination with 30% positive samples. Regarding the levels of pesticide residues in vegetables and crops, about 53.3 % of tested samples (onion, sweet potato, molokhia, cabbage, beet, okra, eggplant, and lettuce) were free from pesticide residues. Meanwhile, about 46.7 % of tested samples (wheat, rocca, green dill, tomato, radish, pepper, and green parsley) showed pesticide residues with different types and concentrations. Propiconazole was the highest residue recorded in green dill with 3.8 mg/kg followed by difenoconazole with 3.22 mg/Kg present in green parsley.