Assessment of the Persistent Organic Compounds Residual Level in Farm Soil of Telfaria occidentalis Hook F. Cultivation Area in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Soil samples from some selected farms where Telfaria occidentalis Hook F. was planted within the Federal Capital Territory was during the rainy season (August 2023) soil samples were collected using a modified grid of 40 m – 40 m adapted from (Anibasa, 2016) with 20 m apart between sampling locations at a depth of 10 cm for each sampling location, these were analyzed for Persistent Organic Compounds (POCs) residue level using Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD). The inorganic pesticides like, Alpha-BHC, Beta-BHC, Gamma-BHC, Heptachlor, Endrin, DDT, Endosulfan II, DDD (Dichloro diphenyl dichloroethane) and Endosulfan Sulfate were recorded. Endosulfan Sulfate was the highest concentration of 3.00±0.69 mg/kg in the soil and was recorded in three Area Councils, followed by Heptachlor with concentration of 2.14±0.73 mg/kg recorded in all the Area Councils, Beta- BHC with concentration of 2.12±0.48 mg/kg recorded in five Area Councils and the lowest concentration of 0.67±0.22 mg/kg was that of Alpha –BHC recorded from three Area Councils. Statistical analysis of the findings indicated that the data was not normally distributed and no significant difference (p˂0.05) in the concentrations across the six Area Councils however, all the concentrations were above Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) permissible by WHO/FAO in soil.