Determination of organochlorine pesticide residues in the raw milk taken from milk collection centers in Urmia in 2020

Milk is one of the most important components of human food. In recent decades, the continued use of pesticides has led to contamination of soil, water, air and milk and caused public concern in the community. Long-term exposure to pesticide residuals in the food chain can be harmful. Therefore, there is a need to control environmental conditions in order to improve its healthy and sustainable food processing practices.

 In this study, 30 samples of raw milk were randomly collected in October 2020, from milk collection centers in Urmia and the residual pesticides were determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

 Organochlorine pesticides were detected in some raw milk samples. The highest concentrations of Lindane (γ-HCH) were detected with the values ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 mg/kg in 5 milk samples. Atrazine was detected in 15 samples with the values ranging from 0.8 to 1.33 mg/kg and alachlor was found in 13 samples with the varied range of 0.35 to o.5 mg/kg. Organochlorine pesticide concentrations were higher than maximum residue level (MRL) in all contaminated milk samples according to the values mentioned by the European Union.

This study showed that atrazine, lindane and alachlor were higher than MRL according to European Commission (EC). However, other organochlorine pesticides such as Heptachlor, Aldrin and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α, β and γ) were not detected.