Abstract
•Extremely high levels of organochlorines were found in cow and goat milks.•Regions known for their malaria epidemics were the most contaminated with DDT.•Environmental contamination prevented distinction of specie effect for contamination.
The present study investigated the bioaccumulation of organochlorines in two milk-producing animals (goats and cows) grazed on the same feed to explore the extent of organochlorines availability in milk and any species effect on the bioaccumulation pattern. Six organochlorine pesticides: aldrin, α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan, p,p′-DDE, o,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDT were determined in samples collected from four regions in Ethiopia. Aldrin (11.6μgkg−1) was detected only in one cow milk sample and α-endosulfan was detected in one goat milk sample at a level of 142.1μgkg−1, and in one cow milk sample (47.8μgkg−1) from the same region. p,p′-DDE was detected in 40% of the milk samples analyzed while o,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDT were found in high amounts in almost all samples. The average total DDT (excluding DDD) in the samples was 328.5μgkg−1. Regions known for their malaria epidemics were the most contaminated with DDT residue. The accumulation pattern in both species was not clear under natural sampling.