Determination of the Level of Pesticides in
Sediment and Water from the Lagos Lagoon
Oladunni B. Olafisoye1,2
and Temitope M. Senkale2
1Department of Chemistry, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
2Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Adelaja O. Osibote Department of Mathematics and Physics, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
Email: [email protected]
Abstract—The study aimed to determine the levels of
organochlorine pesticides in sediment and water from the
Lagos lagoon. Sediments and water samples were analysed
using a 63Ni electron capture detector gas chromatograph
(Agilent 5890 series, GC-ECD). High levels of
organochlorine pesticides were detected in both sediment
and water samples collected. The results of the analysis
show that the mean values of the organochlorine pesticide in
sediments were higher than that for water. It can be
attributed to the fact that organochlorine pesticides which
are pollutants are more persistent and organically bound to
sediments than water since sediments leach organically
bound pollutants to water. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT DDE) were seen
to be absent in both sediments and water sampled from the
lagoon which is a possible indication to compliance on the
ban of organochlorine pesticides for agricultural and fishing
purposes.
Index Terms—pesticides, lagoon, GC-ECD, sediments
I. INTRODUCTION
Pests are known to cause diseases to organisms. A
pesticide is use in prohibiting, repelling, opposing and
alleviating any pest. Pests are not only insects but could
include other plants, vertebrates and invertebrates. As a
result pesticides can include rodenticides, herbicides and
other substances used to control pests. Pesticides are
beneficial to the agricultural industry. Despite their
usefulness to man and agriculture they pose a lot of
hazards because they are toxic to the environment. They
are known worldwide as toxic environmental pollutants,
fat soluble and usually found in fatty tissues of animals
and man [1]. The chlorinated pesticides are specially
classified among the twelve dirty dozen by the Stockholm
convention [2]. They are in high demand industrially and
due to their constant use they bio-accumulate and
magnify in the food chain [2]. Organochlorine pesticides
have environmental impacts that are usually on non-target
organisms [3]. Organochlorine pesticides when applied
on a certain area such as farm settlements usually reach a
Manuscript received August 23, 2015; revised January 8, 2016.
destination other than their target [4]. This is especially
from runoffs into aquatic systems. Wind is also a factor
that carries such pesticides into pastures, communities,
towns and villages affecting unsuspected species [5].
Adverse effects of Organochlorine pesticides have led to
environmental concerns. Each pesticide has its particular
problem; leading to regulatory bodies putting a ban or
limiting its use in several countries [6]. The influx of
humans in a specific area for livelihood and agriculture
has environmental concerns. This involves plants
competing for food leading to a decrease in biodiversity.
Organochlorine pesticides use heightens these impacts
which are further exaggerated by poor management
practices [7]. Due to poor storage and transport of these
Organochlorine pesticides applications, there is
persistence over time. Man is directly affected by
ingesting either food or water contaminated by
Organochlorine pesticides. Organochlorine pesticides are
notorious for the deleterious health effect they cause.
These include reproduction and immune system defects
[8]. Due to the fat loving properties of these
Organochlorine pesticides they have the tendency to
accumulate in tissues and they can be persistent. In the
ecosystem, the distribution of Organochlorine pesticides
is usually in water and sediments. This occurs through
processes such as adsorption of water to the bottom
sediments which are a primary reservoir of environmental
pollution [9]. Water bodies especially the seas, lagoons
and sediments have become a sink for Organochlorine
pesticides. Organochlorine pesticides are harmful to man
and the environment and some countries have placed a
ban on the use of Organochlorine pesticides for
agriculture or industry purposes [10]. Their use has been
banned in many countries yet many developing countries
still use them for fishing and agricultural purposes. The
implementation of such policies in several countries
especially Nigeria is weak [11]. Persistence of these
pollutants is possible due to the low water solubility and
affinity for particulate matter. The Lagos lagoon is
located in south-western Nigeria. The lagoon is a
receiving body for effluents from agricultural industries
and runoff from farmlands. It also receives deposition
Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies Vol. 3, No. 3, September 2016
©2016 Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies 222doi: 10.18178/joaat.3.3.222-225
) and Dichlorodiphenylchloroethane (
runoffs from rivers flowing from states in the south -
western parts of Nigeria into the Atlantic Ocean.
Considering these factors; it is impertinent to evaluate the
sediment and water of the Lagos lagoon for
Organochlorine pesticides [12]. The monitoring of water
and sediment quality is essential. Various researches have
been carried out on the evaluation of Organochlorine
pesticides in various areas of the environment [13]-[16].
Based on this, a study was carried out to determine the
concentration of Organochlorine pesticides in water and
sediments in the Lagos lagoon.
II. METHODOLOGY
Sampling was performed during the dry season of
January in Nigeria. A composite sample of sediment and
water were obtained by mixing several grab samples to
obtain a representative sample. The samples were then
identity prior to laboratory analysis. The water sample
was filtered through a Whatmann filter paper to remove
debris and particulate matter. It was preserved with 2%
hydrochloric acid (HCl) and stored in a dark cupboard
prior to analysis. The water sample was extracted with n-
hexane and acetonitrile by refluxing and the acetonitrile
fraction concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The
concentrated acetronitrile fraction was injected into the
gas chromatograph. Standards of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5µg/L
were made for the calibration graphs from a stock
solution and the samples were analysed in triplicates.
About 10g of the sediment sample was homogenized with
2g sodium sulphate and extracted with dichloromethane.
The pesticides were eluted through a column packed with
silica gel [17]. The eluate was pre concentrated and also
analysed in triplicates. The pesticides were analyzed
qualitatively and quantitatively to determine their
presence and concentration [18]. This was achieved by
the aid of a 63Ni electron capture detector gas
chromatograph (Agilent 5890 series, GC-ECD). The
mean and standard deviation of the concentration of the
pollutants were calculated after extrapolation using the
formula below [19].
Ab/(b) = Fr(Ai)/(i) (1)
where:
Ab=area of the analytical signal
Ai=area of internal standard signal
Fr=response factor
b=concentration of the analyte
i=concentration of the internal standard
Other factors used for the analysis include the
following: Injection temperature 250°C
Detector temperature 300°C
Holding time of detector 5min
Film thickness 0.24μm
Oven temperature 280°C
Starting time 50°C
Holding time for commencement 1min at 20°C
Injected sample 1μL
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
A. Results
The Organochlorine pesticides were identified by
comparing their retention time peaks with those of the
standards. Mean and standard deviation for the values
obtained during the analysis were determined.
B. Discussions
Table I and Table II show the mean and standard
deviation results of Organochlorine pesticides in water
and sediments from Lagos lagoon sampled in the month
of January respectively. The levels of all the
Organochlorine pesticides exceeded the WHO limit for
Organochlorine pesticides in the environment [4].
TABLE I. THE MEAN AND STANDARD DEVIATION VALUES OF THE
CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF PESTICIDES IN SEDIMENTS
Organochlorine
Pesticide
Mean ± SD Organochlorine
Pesticide Mean ± SD
Endosulphan 62.18±0.01 Delta BHC 49.76±0.02
Chlorothalonil 43.78±0.04 Aldrin 58.71±0.06
Heptachlor A 11.34±0.01 Dieldrin 58.71±0.06
Heptachlor B 11.24±0.06 DDE ND
Alpha BHC 23.89±0.09 DDT ND
*ND – Not Detected
TABLE II. THE MEAN AND STANDARD DEVIATION VALUES OF THE
CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF PESTICIDES IN WATER
Organochlorine
Pesticide
Mean ± SD Organochlorine
Pesticide Mean ± SD
Endosulphan 34.50±0.03 Delta BHC 62.18±0.01
Chlorothalonil 27.726±0.07 Aldrin 43.78±0.04
Heptachlor A 29.57±0.08 Dieldrin 11.34±0.01
Heptachlor B 34.71±0.07 DDE 11.24±0.06
Alpha BHC 28.10±0.04 DDT 23.89±0.09
The WHO maximum contaminant level for
Organochlorine pesticides is below 1.0mg/L and all the
samples had values above the permissible limit [4]. The
mean values of the Organochlorine pesticides were
generally high showing there is a high demand for the use
of Organochlorine pesticide in agriculture and fishing to
combat pests on land and water. This is due to the
increasing population in Nigeria and the high demand for
food by the populace. The mean values of the
Organochlorine pesticide in sediments are higher than
that for water. Apart from this factor, the results did not
follow any particular pattern [20]-[25]. This can be
attributed to the fact that the organochlorine pesticides
are more persistent and organically bound to sediments.
Usually sediments leach part of the organically bound
organochlorine pesticides to water [3], [7], [26]-[28].
Water undergoes several processes such as dilution and
Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies Vol. 3, No. 3, September 2016
©2016 Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies 223
taken to the laboratory and stored at 4°C to preserve the
absorption thereby reducing the concentrations eventually
[29], [30]. DDT and DDE were absent in both sediments
and water sampled from the lagoon. This indicates
compliance to the ban on these products for agricultural
and fishing purposes. Organochlorine pesticides from
different farmland and water bodies must have leached
into the Lagos lagoon. The lagoon is polluted and not
suitable for fishing, recreational and agricultural purposes
[18]-[23]. The concentration of Organochlorine pesticide
residues in this study was higher when compared to other
previous studies [18]-[22]. This is because
Organochlorine pesticides are generally non-
biodegradable, toxic and persists in the environment for a
long period of time. The nature of persistence makes
Organochlorine pesticides accumulate in the food chain
and in lower organisms like planktons. Organochlorine
Pesticides become concentrated due to several chemical
processes and are adsorbed from water to sediments and
bottom substrates. This makes sediments a reservoir from
which toxic substances are released into the environment
[12]. The low ability of Organochlorine pesticides to
dissolve in water and their association with particles and
matter make them non biodegradable. This contributes to
the reason why they persist in the environment for a long
time and their toxic nature. Humans are indirectly
exposed to these pesticides from sea animals and food
cultivated from such source [31]-[37]. Humans are
directly exposed when they come in contact with water
and sediments especially through recreational, natural and
anthropogenic sources [39], [40]. Organochlorine
pesticides are known to be carcinogenic especially
through nasal inhalation and dermal contact [41]-[43].
Ingestion of pesticides is known to cause dizziness,
convulsions, skin irritation and nasal congestion [44],
[45].
IV. CONCLUSION
Pests are disease causing organisms and their use is
limited to agriculture. Organochlorine pesticides are used
in the eradication of pesticides on land and water. Due to
their continuous use they are persistent yet non-
biodegradable. The results of the analysis indicate a
partial compliance to their use in agriculture and fishing.
More efficient and less toxic means of pesticide
eradication in land and water for agriculture are
employed nowadays.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors wish to thank Bowen University Iwo,
Nigeria for research study analysis and Cape Peninsula
University of Technology, South Africa for funding.
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Olafisoye Oladunni Bola obtained her
undergraduate degree at the Abubakar Tafawa
Balewa University Bauchi in the year 2001. She obtained a Masters degree from the
University of Ibadam in the year 2007. She is
currently on her PhD programme at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape
Town, South Africa. She is a lecturer at the
Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria. She has published papers in several journals of repute
and has supervised a number of undergraduate students.
Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies Vol. 3, No. 3, September 2016
©2016 Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies 225
A. M. Taiwo, O. O. Olujimi, O. Bamgbose, and T. A. Arowolo,
“Surface water quality monitoring in Nigeria: Situational analysis and future management strategy,” in Water Quality Monitoring
and Assessment, InTech, 2012, pp. 301-317.
Senkale Moses Temitope is a graduate of the
Bowen University Iwo Nigeria. He is an
upcoming chemist in the Chemical industry. The future of the industry depends on Chemist
like him.
Adelaja Otolorin Osibote completed her
undergraduate studies at Ogun State University, Nigeria (now Olabisi Onabanjo
University) in Physics in 1992 and received
her M.Sc. in Engineering Physics (Medical and Health Physics Option) from Obafemi
Awolowo University, also in Nigeria in 1999.
She obtained her Ph.D. (Medical Physics) from Escola Nacional de Saude Publica
(National School of Public Health)-FIOCRUZ,
Brazil in 2006. She was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Nuclear Energy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
(Federal University of Pernambuco), Brazil in 2007 and in the
Department of Human Biology (Biomedical Engineering) of University of Cape Town, South Africa in 2008. She was a Junior Research
Associate, of the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical
Physics from 2002 to 2006. Dr. Osibote assumed a faculty position in the Department of Physics, Olabisi Onabanjo University in 1995 and
presently in the Department of Mathematics & Physics, Cape Peninsula
University of Technology, South Africa. She has carried out research on several areas including Irradiation of foodstuffs, measurement of
radioactivity in food and environmental fields, quality assurance in
diagnostic radiology and in the Developments of algorithms for automated focusing of a microscope for the detection of tuberculosis.
She teaches several courses in Physics at the University and supervises
a number of students.