Abstract
This study evaluated the levels and concentrations of five selected herbicides in fish species wild-caught and sold at Kalk Bay harbour, Cape Town, South Africa. The samples were analysed using gas chromatography coupled with mass chromatography. The concentration detected in the fish samples ranged from atrazine: not detected (nd) to 66 ng/g dry weight (dw), simazine: nd to 158 ng/g dw, alachlor: nd to 48 ng/g dw, metolachlor: nd to 94 ng/g dw and butachlor: nd to 9 ng/g dw. The ecological risk assessment results were greater than 0.5 for acute risk and 1.0 chronic risk, while the human risk evaluation indicates that the concentration of these chemical contaminants in the selected fish samples showed that there is possibility of developing cancers should the fishes be consumed over a period of time. Therefore, there is need to set up an appropriate guideline and monitoring of the use, storage and disposal of these chemicals in Western Cape Province and South Africa generally.
