Assessment of pesticides residues in honey from Dodoma, Singida and Tabora regions, Tanzania.

This research was conducted to assess the levels of pesticides residues in honey from Tabora, Dodoma and Singida regions. Analysis of pesticides residues in honey was achieved by means of Gas Chromatography Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The study results identified the presence of seven organochlorines and one organophosphorus all with the levels below 50 µg/kg. The highest levels of pesticides were found in Dodoma region followed by Singida and Tabora regions. The highest levels of pesticides residues found in Dodoma honey were: 2.822 µg/kg for total DDT, 0.787 µg/kg for heptachlor and 1.468 µg/kg for dieldrin. For Singida honey the levels were; total DDT 1.337 µg/kg, endrin 0.183 µg/kg, heptachlor 0.821 µg/kg, dieldrin 0.553 µg/kg and chlorpyrifos 0.033 µg/kg. For honey from Tabora, pesticides residues found were: total DDT 0.521 µg/kg, endrin 2.207 µg/kg, dieldrin 2.905 µg/kg and chlorpyrifos 5.85 µg/kg. Detection frequencies were heptachlor (12%), chlorpyrifos (12%), endrin (8%), dieldrin (72%), o,p′-DDE (16%), p,p'-DDE (56%), o,p'-DDT (16%), and p,p'-DDT (40%). The low levels of pesticides residues (< 50 µg/kg) indicated that honey could have no risks to the public health. Since the detection of pesticides residues in honey indicates contamination from environmental sources, there is a need of tracing sources of the banned pesticides in Tanzania.