Distribution of Organochlorine Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Lebanese Agricultural Soil: Case Study—Plain of Akkar

Suggested policy and legislation reforms to reduce deleterious effect of pesticides in Lebanon

“…(2017) on apiaries in North Lebanon, 10 pesticides were detected with a total level up to 1753.92 (ng g-1) in collected honey samples among which long time banned organochlorines, penconazole, pyraclostrobin, and diflufenican, the latter was never registered for use in Lebanon ( Al Alam et al., 2017 ). Furthermore, soil tests in Aakkar regions revealed the presence of organochlorines pesticides, though banned years ago ( Helou et al., 2019 ), in addition to heavy metals, mainly Nickel and a moderate pollution with Cadmium ( Chaza et al., 2018a b ). In another study conducted later that year, tests on groundwater samples in Aakkar revealed the presence of organochlorines, with levels reaching up to 58.9 μg/L, exceeding the limits set by the European Union, in addition to other organophosphates, mainly methyl-parathion, with levels ranging from 18.2 μg/L to 98.29 μg/L ( Chaza et al., 2018b a ).…”

“…Furthermore, soil tests in Aakkar regions revealed the presence of organochlorines pesticides, though banned years ago ( Helou et al., 2019 ), in addition to heavy metals, mainly Nickel and a moderate pollution with Cadmium ( Chaza et al., 2018a b ). In another study conducted later that year, tests on groundwater samples in Aakkar revealed the presence of organochlorines, with levels reaching up to 58.9 μg/L, exceeding the limits set by the European Union, in addition to other organophosphates, mainly methyl-parathion, with levels ranging from 18.2 μg/L to 98.29 μg/L ( Chaza et al., 2018b a ). This last study, also demonstrated a recent use of dicofol (2,2,2-trichloro-1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol), in which DDT was only an impurity, by, calculation of (DDD + DDE)/DDT ratios that were lower than 0.5 and 2,4′-DDT/4,4′-DDT ratios that ranged from 0.81 to 2.31, and by comparing levels with a 2 years older study ( El-Osmani et al., 2014 ).…”

Chirality: An inescapable concept for the pharmaceutical, bio‐pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries

“…It has been assessed that 25% of pesticides currently trafficked are chiral, and the proportion is estimated to be over 40% in China with increasingly complex compounds registered for use. Nowadays, pest control is one of the most important inputs in agricultural production, and chiral pesticides require special consideration in order to save money on production, supply safe meals, and reduce medical costs associated with the treatment of resulting illnesses [129].…”

Temporal evolution of organochlorine and organophosphate pesticide residues in wells in the Akkar Region (Lebanon)

“…Soil runoff and leaching have led to the infiltration of pesticides from application areas into aquifers (Huber et al, 2000;Blanchouda et al, 2007). The excessive and uncontrolled use of pesticides has led to severe contamination of groundwater in these areas (Chbib et al, 2017;Chbib et al, 2018).…”