Investigation of the Presence of 22 Organochlorine Pesticide Residues in Ginseng from Jilin Province, China

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of organochlorine pesticide residues in 186 ginseng samples collected in Jilin, People's Republic of China. Based on the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015 method for detection of organochlorine pesticide residues in ginseng, 22 organochlorine pesticide residues were identified. Chlordane, aldrin, epichlorohydrin, and dieldrin and their isomers were not detected in ginseng from this region. Heptachlor was detected in only one ginseng sample, and the concentration did not exceed the maximum residual limit (MRL) prescribed in the Pharmacopoeia (0.05 mg/kg). Benzene hexachloride was detected in two samples, one of which was above the MRL. Hexachlorobenzene and pentachloronitrobenzene (quintozene) were found in 11.8 and 52.1% of the samples, respectively, and the residues in these samples exceeded the MRL by 4.3 and 8.6%, respectively. HIGHLIGHTS Eight organochlorine pesticides and their isomers were detected in ginseng from Jilin, China. The most common organochlorine pesticide, quintozene, was detected in 52.15% of the samples. Only 9% of ginseng samples contained organochlorine pesticides above the MRL.