Quantification of Pesticide Residues in Drinking Water in Different Areas of District Charsadda, Pakistan.

Pesticides residues were determined quantitatively in drinking water samples collected from district Charsadda of the province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan employing GC-MS technique. The survey was conducted soon after the flood in 2010. Aldicarb (0.003 mg/L) was found only in C7, while residues of acetachlor (0.001 mg/L) was found in C8. Among the pesticides quantified Chlorpyrifos delivered highest amount of residues in C8, C9, C10, C11 and C12. Residues of o, p'-DDT were found higher in C1 to C6 than the permitted value (0.002 mg/L), while higher concentration of Pyridaben than the allowed value (0.0001 mg/L) was resulted in C1, C5, C6 and C14. Residues of Carbofuran, Atrazine, a-Endosulfan and Dieldrin, β-Endosulfan, Difenoconazole-1 and Difenoconazole-2 were not detected in any of the collected water samples. Concentrations of rest of the pesticides residues detected in water samples were within the permissible limits. The study revealed that water samples collected from district Charsadda are highly contaminated with pesticides, which is a health risk factor for the inhabitant of this areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]