The distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediments of Bohai Sea Bay, China

Abstract

The residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in 19 surface sediments of Bohai Sea Bay were determined in this study. Total OCP concentration in surface sediment ranged from 9.01 to 18.04 ng/g dry weight, with a mean concentration of 12.50 ng/g. These findings are in the mid-range of pesticide concentrations compared to those reported in other regions worldwide. DDTs and HCHs were the predominant species. The α-HCH/β-HCH ratios and the predominant γ-HCH indicate that the technical HCH contamination was due mainly to historical usage, although there appeared to be a fresh input of lindane. The results from (DDD + DDE)/ΣDDTs and DDD/DDE calculations suggest that the usage of DDT in agricultural activities was not terminated, and the historical/fresh inputs of DDT in these areas could be more easily degraded into DDD under an anoxic condition. PCA implies that the recent usage of DDT could serve as important fresh input sources for OCPs.

Residues and enantiomeric profiling of organochlorine pesticides in sediments from Xinghua Bay, southern East China Sea

“…[29] However, the sedimentary DDT levels were at the intermediate level of the global range. For example, the concentrations of DDTs in the sediment of Xinghua Bay were lower than those of Cortiou, France [30] and the coastal environment of Vietnam, [31] were comparable to those of Long Island Sound, [32] the Bohai Sea Bay [33] and the East China Sea, [34] but were higher than those detected in remote polar coasts such as the Norwegian Artic [35] and the Antarctic James Ross Island. [36] With regard to the concentrations of CHLs, although few data exist for comparative purposes, the residues in Xinghua Bay were similar to those found in the East China Sea.…”

“…[21] The limited wave induced sediment transport in Xinghua Bay may be responsible for the heterogeneous distribution of contaminants there. [22] [34] Bohai Sea 0.16-4.15 0.24-11.4 [33] The Pearl River Delta 0.18-4.64 0.057-34.3 [25,26] The Korean coast nd-3.76 0.02-4.03 [27] The Istanbul Strait in Turkey 0.006-1.31 0.016-12.4 [28] Caribbean Sea 0.70-1.80 6.10-29.0 1.00-9.50 [29] Cortiou, France 2.02-255 [30] The Vietnam coastal nd-1.00 0.31-274 nd-0.75 [31] Long Island Sound 1.31-33.2 [32] Norwegian Arctic 0.42-1.20 0.07-0.28 [35] Antarctic James Ross Island 0.14-0.76 0.19-1.15 [36] nd: not detected.…”

Spatial distribution and seasonal variation of four current-use pesticides (CUPs) in air and surface water of the Bohai Sea, China

“…The Bohai Sea is a semi-closed interior sea in China with a mean depth of 18 m and area of 70,000 km 2 (Liu et al, 2012), and its water exchange with the Yellow Sea is relatively slow. Hence, pollutants tend to accumulate and become concentrated in this shallow water for a long time (Hu et al, 2010).…”

Assessment of the Genotoxic Potential of Sediments Contaminated with POPs and Agricultural Soils UsingVicia fabaMicronucleus Assay

“…The fate and behavior of these contaminants in the aquatic systems are determined by the physical, chemical, and biological processes, such as photoxidation, hydrolisis, and breakdown, which transform POPs into their metabolites. These compounds are moved long distances and then accumulate in soils, sediments, and biological tissues (González-Mille et al, 2010;Liu et al, 2011). Sediments are an essential component of the freshwater ecosystems; the studies conducted in several countries, including Mexico, indicate that sediments are contaminated by pesticides and chlorinated biphenyls (PCB) (Echols et al, 2008;González-Mille et al, 2010), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) (Echols et al, 2008), dioxins, and furans (Wang and Lee, 2010), and almost invariably heavy metals (García-Nieto et al, 2011).…”