From ancient time aromatic plants have been used as spices. Many spices are imported from different countries were the climatic conditions are convenient for there production. The aim of this research was to identification and quantification of some organochlorine insecticides and toxic metals in aromatic plants obtained from import.

The investigation has been carried out in 1999, on 63 samples of seven plant species: Allium sativum L., Piper nigrum L. (black and white), Cinnamomum div., Pimenta officinalis Berg., Origano vulgare L., Eugenia caryophyllata Thumb., Zingiber officinale Rosc., obtained mostly from Indonesia, India, China, Vietnam, etc.

DDT and its metabolite DDE, isomers of hexachlorcyclohexane (a-, b-, g- and d-) were extracted from the plant material, and evaluated by gas chromatography using an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). As and Pb were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) method after wet burning up.

The examined samples of plant drugs mostly contained residues of DDT in the range 0-0.00641 mg/kg and DDE 0-0.00421 mg/kg (top limit for total DDT and his metabolites is 0.5 mg/kg). The content of lindan was in the range 0-0.00823 mg/kg, and for the other HCH isomers (a+b+d) 0-0.00580 mg/kg (top limit for lindan is 0.5 mg/kg, and for total HCH (a+b+d) 0.1 mg/kg). The concentration range of As was 0-1.00 mg/kg, while of Pb was 0-2.02 mg/kg (top limits for As and Pb are 1.00 mg/kg and 2.00 mg/kg respectively). In four samples the content of Pb was more then 1.9 mg/kg.

Presence of organochlorine insecticides is the result of their stability and bioacumulation in the environment, whereas the presence of Pb indicate the pollution of the plants environment, which supports the need for continuos monitoring of aromatic plant contaminants.