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Human health risks and hepatotoxicity associated with exposure to atrazine surveyed in drinking water from Ijebu-North, Southwest, Nigeria

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Abstract

No recognized study has been conducted in rural agricultural areas in Nigeria to monitor atrazine in drinking water and its potential health implications. Here, a total of 69 hand-dug wells (HDW), 40 boreholes (BH), and 4 streams were collected from the six (6) communities in Ijebu-North Local Government Area, Southwest Nigeria and analyzed for atrazine residue using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Values of atrazine obtained were further used to evaluate the non-carcinogenic risk associated with ingestion and dermal routes in children and adults using the standard US EPA protocols. Sub-chronic hepatotoxicity of the atrazine residue in the water sample was assessed using standard methods. A total of 41 HDW, 22 BH, and the 4 streams tested positive for atrazine. The highest concentration of atrazine recorded in the HDW water from Ijebu-North ranged from 0.01 to 0.08 mg/L. Hazard index (HI) values associated with the exposure routes in both adults and children were less than 1 for all the communities. Although atrazine at 0.01, 0.03, and 0.04 mg/L concentrations appear to trigger defense mechanisms capable of protecting the structural integrity of the liver, significant (p < 0.05) changes in hepatic markers, oxidative stress parameters, mixed-function oxygenases, ATPase enzymes, and mild structural lesions were seen in the liver of rats exposed to atrazine at 0.08 mg/L. Atrazine at 0.01, 0.03, and 0.04 mg/L concentrations found in water from Ijebu-North may not pose any threat to liver function, but concern should be raised at 0.08 mg/L.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago- Iwoye, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Folarin Owagboriaye, Rasheed Oladunjoye, Oladunni Adekunle, Titilola Salisu, Promise Ojadeni & Olusegun Lawal

  2. Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, College of Environmental Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Adedamola Adenekan

  3. Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, College of Bioscience, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Gabriel Dedeke

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  1. Folarin Owagboriaye
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  2. Rasheed Oladunjoye
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  3. Oladunni Adekunle
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Contributions

Conceptualization, (Folarin Owagboriaye; Gabriel Dedeke; and Olusegun Lawal); methodology, (Folarin Owagboriaye; Gabriel Dedeke; and Olusegun Lawal); formal analysis and investigation, (Folarin Owagboriaye; Rasheed Oladunjoye; Oladunni Adekunle; Titilola Salisu; Adedamola Adenekan; Promise Ojadeni); writing—original draft preparation, (Folarin Owagboriaye); writing—review and editing, (Gabriel Dedeke and Olusegun Lawal); resources, (Rasheed Oladunjoye; Oladunni Adekunle; Titilola Salisu); supervision, (Gabriel Dedeke and Olusegun Lawal).

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Owagboriaye, F., Oladunjoye, R., Adekunle, O. et al. Human health risks and hepatotoxicity associated with exposure to atrazine surveyed in drinking water from Ijebu-North, Southwest, Nigeria. Environ Monit Assess 195, 402 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-10980-w

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