Abstract
This research is aimed to evaluate the level of heavy metals and pesticides residues in the commonly consumed soft drink within Kazaure town. Twenty-five (25) samples of different soft drink brands was analysed for 10 organochlorines and 6 organophosphorus pesticides. The 10 organochlorines pesticides evaluated cover wide spectrum of chlorinated pesticides. The 6 organophosphorus pesticides tested are the most commonly used pesticides. Analysis was conducted using Gas Chromatograph with Electron Capture Detector using a capillary column for analysing organochlorine pesticides and Gas Chromatograph with Nitrogen Phosphorus Detector using a capillary column for analysing organophosphorus pesticides. Final confirmation was carried out by GC-MS. While the metals were analysed using AAS. The result showed that the average concentration of all the ten (10) organochlorines pesticides evaluated were 0.11, 2.99,0.22 and 0.26 μg/kg for α HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH and heptachlor respectively while β-HCH, DDT, Aldrin, Dieldrin Endosulfan and chlordane were not detected in all the brand of the soft drinks analyzed. The overall average of all the organochlorines pesticdes were found to be 3.71 μg/kg. The concentration of organophosphorous pesticide were found in the 25 samples of soft drink selected, 0.74μg/kg and 0.17μg/kg were found as the average concentration of Chlorpyrifos and malathion respectively. While the average concentration of the total organophosphorous pesticides obtained was 0.89 μg/kg. Chlorpyrifos and malathion were found in 48 and 44% of the 25 samples which range from 0.17 to 2.89 and 0.13 to 1.11μg/kg respectively. The parathion, merphos and tricresylphosphate were not detected in all the soft drinks tested. The level of metal residue revealed that Cu, Cr, Cd, Fe, Pb, Zn and Ni were found in 68%, 56%,36%,88% 40% ,80% and 24% respectively in the 25 samples analysed. However, Cu, Cd and Zn were within the permissible maximum levels(PML), while Cr, Fe, Pb, Ni were found above the PML 16%, 48%, 12% and Ni 12% respectively in the 25 samples of soft drink analysed. Hence, soft drink generally can be served as source of important elements for human health and development but can be as a source of other substance like pesticide and some metals which can be toxic to human.