Qualitative and quantitative analysis of organochlorine insecticide residues were conducted in water, sediment, aquatic plants and animals from 3 freshwater reservoirs. Ninety water samples, 90 sediment samples, 397 aquatic plants samples and 121 aquatic animals samples were collected during March-April and August-September 1989. There were about 14 kinds of aquatic plants, such as water hyacinth, water lettuce, algae and water lilly etc. Aquatic animals are fish, shrimps and snails, but most of them are fish. They are striped snake-head fish, carp and catfish etc. Total samples of 698 were analyzed by using gas chromatographic techniques at Agricultural Toxic Substances Division. The results indicated that 5 kinds of insecticides were found in most samples. They were lindane, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, DDT and derivatives. Dieldrin was detected at higher concentration and found in all samples. The residue level of dieldrin ranged from 0.01-0.12 ppb in water, 0.005-0.036 ppm in sediment, 0.001-0.138 ppm in aquatic plants and 0.001-0.037 ppm in aquatic animals respectively. The accumulation of dieldrin residue in water and aquatic plant samples from all reservoirs are not different but the level of dieldrin residue in sediment samples from Bueng Boraphed is higher than the other 2 reservoris. However the levels of dieldrin residue in sediment, aquatic plant and aquatic animal samples higher than those in water samples respectively.

A kinetic spectrophotometric method for determining residues of insecticide diflubenzuron 1(4-chlorphenyl)-3-(2,6-diflubenzoyl)urea (DFB) has been developed and validated. Kinetic method was based on the inhibitory effect of DFB on the oxidation reaction of sulfanilic acid (SA) by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Co 2+ ions in a phosphate buffer, which was monitored at 370 nm. DFB can be measured in the concentration interval 0.102 – 3.40 μg mL -1 and 3.40 – 23.80 μg mL -1 . The detection and quantification limits of the method were calculated according to the 3σ criteria and found to be 0.077 μg mL -1 and 0.254 μg Ml -1 , respectively. The relative standard deviations for five replicate determinations of 0.102, 1.70 and 3.40 μg mL -1 DFB were 2.08, 1.22 and 1.21 %, respectively, for the first concentration interval, and the recovery percentage values were from 94.12 to 97.35 %. HPLC method was used as a parallel method to verify results of the kinetic method. The kinetic method was successfully applied to determine diflubenzuron concentrations in spiked water and baby food samples after solid phase extraction of the samples. The F and t values at 95% confidence level are lower than the theoretical ones, confirming agreement of the developed and the HPLC method.

Pesticide residues in human milk and environmental samples from Kafr El-Zayat Governorate in Egypt were analyzed. This governorate is located near one of the biggest pesticide factories in Egypt. Organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides were monitored, including those that have been prohibited from use in Egypt. Human milk samples (31 samples) from Kafr El-Zayat were compared with 11 samples collected from Cairo. Data were compared with results from studies performed in 1987 and 1990. The present study showed that aldrin and dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide, and endrin residues have been eliminated from human milk. Estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of DDT complex and gamma-HCH by breast-fed infants in Kafr El-Zayat were 85.96 and 3.1% of respective acceptable daily intakes (ADIs). beta-HCH residues showed an increasing pattern, especially in human milk samples from Cairo. DDT complex and HCH isomers in orange, spinach, lettuce, potatoes, and clover samples ranged from undetectable to very low concentrations. Higher levels of DDT and HCH were detected, but aldrin, dieldrin endrin, and the heptachlors were not detected in food of animal origin. Residues in fish samples were below maximum residue limits established by some developed countries. Those in animal milk samples approached the extraneous residue limits of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues. HCH residues in soil were negligible, but DDT residues in soil were somewhat higher. Among water samples, groundwater samples had the highest residues of HCHs and DDTs, followed by Nile River water and then tap water. However, the organochlorine pesticide residues were found at concentrations below the maximum allowable limits set by the World Health Organization for drinking water. Among 12 organophosphorus pesticides monitored as parent compounds, dimethoate, malathion, methamidophos, and chlorpyrifos residues were detected in low concentrations in soil samples from a pesticide factory. No organophosphorus pesticide residues were found in plant samples, except for very low residues of dimethoate in an orange sample. Water samples were devoid of organophosphorus residues as parent compounds.