EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF SODIUM BICARBONATE (BAKING SODA) ON THE REMOVAL OF ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES; LINDANE AND ENDOSULFAN FROM COWPEAS (Vigna unguiculata)

Organochlorine pesticides, such as lindane and endosulfan are widely used in Agriculture. They have been reported to have negative impacts on human health and the environment. The decontamination of food crops from these pesticides is therefore of great importance. In this study, the effectiveness of 10% Sodium bicarbonate in removing the aforementioned pesticides from cowpeas was evaluated. Sodium bicarbonate is a natural and inexpensive substance that has been shown to be effective in removing other types ofpesticides from food crops. The results of this study showed that treatment with sodium bicarbonate was able to significantly reduce the levels of lindane and endosulfan on the cowpeas. This suggests that sodium bicarbonate is a promising option for the decontamination of cowpeas and potentially other food crops from organochlorine pesticides. Further research is needed to fully understand the optimal conditions and mechanisms for using sodium bicarbonate as a decontaminating agent and to determine its potential for use in other crops and in different regions