Abstract:
Lindane and propoxur residue levels in cocoa samples taken from the Central Region of Ghana were determined. Propoxur and Lindane residues in cocoa were extracted by continuous soxhlet extraction with a 1:1 v/v acetone-chloroform and acetone-hexane (20:80 v/v) mixture for propoxur and lindane respectively for 12 h. The extracts were passed through preconditioned octadecyl (C-18) columns to clean up. The pesticides were then analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography using Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and Electron Capture Detector (ECD) for propoxur and lindane respectively. The concentration range for lindane in cocoa was 0.055 - 3.318 mg/kg. The concentration range for propoxur was 0.001 – 0.991 mg/kg. The mean of lindane in cocoa beans were: 0.411 mg/kg, pod 1.113 mg/kg, testa 0.609 mg/kg , placenta 0.905 mg/kg, leaves 0.892 mg/kg and bark 1.332 mg/kg. The mean concentrations of propoxur in cocoa were: beans 0.235 mg/kg, pod 0.235 mg/kg, placenta 0.276 mg/kg, leaves 0.104 mg/kg, bark 0.491 mg/kg. From the studies it may be preferable to use propoxur for control of pests in cocoa
