Research for the Presence of Pesticides in Fish from the Sassandra and Bandama Rivers in the Localities of Bouafle, Guessabo and Soubre, Ivory Coast

Aims: This study aims to investigate the presence of pesticides in fresh fish caught in the Sassandra and Bandama rivers of the Sassandra-Marahoué district.

Study Design: Fish is an important source of protein, the quality of which depends on many actions carried out directly or indirectly by man during fishing, fish trading, preservation operations (smoking, drying, refrigeration, etc.) the use of pesticides on cultivable areas along the rivers.

Place and Duration of Study: Sampling was carried out in three fishing areas of the Sassandra-Marahoué district and the chemical analyzes were carried out at the Agrovalorization Laboratory of the Jean Lorougnon Guédé University in Daloa and at the National Laboratory for Agricultural Development Support (Côte d'Ivoire).

Methodology: : A total of 390 samples of fresh fish, including 130 of each of the Tilapia, Chrysichthys and Labéo species, were collected randomly under aseptic conditions directly from various fishermen from the Sassandra River in the towns of Soubré and Guessabo and from the Bandama River in the locality of Bouaflé.

Results: Analysis of the fish samples revealed about fifteen active substances from pesticides. Crimidine and Desisopropylatratzine showed the highest levels in Bouaflé Tilapia with 29.55% and 22.73% respectively, Metobromuron, Simazine and Fénuron at 29.55% each in Chrysichthys and Labeo, each substance was found in a single sample with a rate of 2.27%. In the Guéssabo samples, Metoxuron and Monuron are the highest substances in fresh Tilapia with 18.60% each. Certain substances such as Crimidine, Aldicarb, Parathion-ethyl and Parathion-methyl were not found in the Chrysichthys samples as well as Isoproturon, Metobromuron, Metoxuron and Monuron in the Labeo. The highest substances in the Soubré samples are Metobromuron at 18.60% in Tilapia, Parathion-methyl and Terbutryn at 18.60% in Chrysichthys and Crimidine in Labéo at 9.30%.

Conclusion: This study clearly shows the presence of pesticide residues in fresh fish caught in the Bandama and Sassandra rivers. Precautions should be taken to eliminate or at least reduce the impacts of these on the environment and especially on human health.