Hematological Disturbances and Tissue Residue Levels in Local Chickens Exposed to Organophosphate Pesticides in Alau-Dam And Fariya Communities, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

1&2U. A. Maina, 1M. A. Shuaibu, 1B. Umaru, 1S.I. Salihu, 2A. Y. Gwoikura, 2&4M. A. Idris, 1A. D. Telta, 1E. O. Adaweran, 3Y. B. Majama, 1S. I. Ngulde. 5M. M. Bukar,
1Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
2Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
3Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
4Department of Veterinary Surgery, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
5Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

*Corresponding author’s Email: mainaumar62@unimaid.edu.ng, doi.org/10.55639/607.02010081


ABSTRACT

The indiscriminate use of pesticides in agricultural and peri-domestic environments poses a significant risk of residue accumulation in food animals, with potential public health implications. This study investigated the presence and concentrations of selected pesticide residues in the liver, crop, and muscle tissues of local chickens from Alau-Dam and Fariya communities, using chickens as sentinel animals, with a control group included for comparison. Tissue samples were analyzed for organophosphate and Pyrethroid pesticides using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS), and detected concentrations were compared with WHO/FAO Codex maximum residue limits (MRLs). Pesticide residues were detected in all study groups, with Chlorpyrifos, Dichlorvos, and Cypermethrin being the most frequently identified compounds. In chickens from Alau Dam, 6 out of 15 samples tested positive, of which five exceeded the MRL, including muscle samples with Chlorpyrifos (0.789 µg/g) and dichlorvos (0.676 µg/g), representing concentrations ≥10 times the Codex limits. Samples from Fariya community showed notably high contamination, particularly Chlorpyrifos in liver tissue (0.247 µg/g), exceeding the MRL by over 20-fold, while other detected residues were generally below regulatory limits. Although considered a control, 26.7% of samples from the control group contained residues exceeding MRLs, with Dichlorvos (1.325 µg/g) and Cypermethrin (0.196 µg/g) detected mainly in liver tissues. Hematological assessments revealed alterations in red and white blood cell parameters among exposed chickens with P

Keywords:
Pesticides residue,
Local chicken,
Avian Heamatology,
Vegetable farming.