Organo-chlorine pesticide (DDT and HCH) residues in the Taihu Lake Region and its movement in soil-water system I. Field survey of DDT and HCH residues in ecosystem of the region

The use of organo-chlorine (DDT and HCH) has been banned in China for 20 years. A field survey was carried out during 1999-2000 in the Taihu Lake Region. Organo-chlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in soil, water, fish and sediment samples were investigated. DDT was detected in 5 out of 10 samples with concentration ranging from 0.3 to 5.3 μg/kg in the surface (0-15 cm) layer, 6 out of 10 with 0.5 to 4.0 μg/kg in the subsoil layer (16-30 cm), and 4 of 10 with 0 to 2.7 μg/ kg in the deep soil layer (31-50 cm). Results for HCH residues in soil samples were similar to those of DDT. These results indicate that OCP residues in 0-50 cm profile had been leached out or degraded to safe level. In river water DDT was detected in 10 out of 13 samples ranging from 0.2 to 9.3 μg/l, with an average of 1.0 μg/l. While HCH was detected in 12 out of 13 samples ranging from 0.02 to 36.1 μg/l, with an average 5.6 μg/l. DDT residues in sediment ranged from 0.1 to 8.8 μg/kg, while HCH ranged from 0.3 to 66.5 μg/kg. DDT residues in fish body ranged from 3.7 to 23.5 μg/kg and HCH ranged from 3.7 to 132 μg/kg. These results demonstrate an accumulation through food chain (from soil-water-sediment-microbes-crop-fish-... etc.), also that HCH residues are generally more persistent than DDT residues. However, all these data are well below than the state warning standard limit.