Contamination of potato tubers and carrots in Greece with lindane residues

Potato and carrot samples were collected over the period 1988-92 in six regions in Greece and analyzed for concentrations of lindane residues. All samples were analyzed by gas chromatography. Lindane residues in potatoes ranged from 0.4 to 250 mu g/kg. Carrot residues ranged from below the limit of detection to 90 mu g/kg. Of the 83 potato samples analyzed, lindane residues were detected in 34, while in the 25 carrot samples, 14 contained lindane residues. The residues were mostly detected in vegetables from Achaea and Eleia in the Peloponnese Peninsula. Overall, lindane residues decreased over the sampling period.