EVALUATION OF SOME HERBICIDE CONTENT IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE IN SOKOTO METROPOLIS

The effect of herbicide as an environmental pollutant can constitute public health food hazard. It therefore becomes pertinent for regular monitoring of the environment for public health food safety. Herbicide residues content in crop samples from Sokoto, State, Nigeria were determined using Cary 630 FTIR spectrophotometer equipped with diffuse reflectance sampling interface (Agilent Technologies, USA). The concentration of the herbicide residues such as atrazine in food type (rice, potato, bean and groungnut) was 23pg/ml, 67pg/ml, 67pg/ml and 117pg/ml respectively, 2,4-D concentration in crop (rice, potato, bean and groundnut) was 5.6pg/ml, 11pg/ml, 14pg/ml 14pg/ml respectively, Paraquat concentration in food crop (rice, potato, bean and groundnut) was 17pg/ml, 33pg/ml, 33pg/ml and 45pg/ml respectively, Glyphosate concentration in food crop (rice, potato, bean and groundnut) was 10pg/ml, 33pg/ml, 33pg/ml and 45pg/ml respectively. The concentration of herbicide (2,4-D, Paraquat, Glyphosate and Atrazine) in food crop (Rice, Bean, Potato and Groundnut) in this study is generally very low. The relatively low concentration of these residues may be due low usage of herbicide in the farming practice within the study area in which farmers are supplied with very limited quantity of herbicide. The danger associated with herbicide use on human health requires that user should be adequately trained with necessary skills and protective gear in applying the herbicide and other pesticides on farm land.