Distribution of HCH and DDT in the coastal marine environment of Mumbai, India

G. G. Pandit; S. K. Sahu; S. Sadasivan

doi:10.1039/B202598A

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G. G. Pandit,*^a S. K. Sahu^a and S. Sadasivan^a

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* Corresponding authors

^a Environmental Assessment Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India
E-mail: ggp@apsara.barc.ernet.in
Fax: +91 22 5505151
Tel: +91 22 5590233

Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediment, water and biota samples from the coastal marine environment of Mumbai were analysed to elucidate their distribution in various environmental compartments. HCH isomers, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites were the predominantly identified compounds in all the samples. High ratios of DDT to dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) were found in seawater samples. This indicates the presence of a significant source of DDT in this region. In sediment samples, the γ-isomer contributed almost 55% to the total HCH, indicating a high affinity of the γ-isomer towards the sediment. The levels of organochlorines in fish obtained from this region were found to be lower than the levels of organochlorines in fish in temperate regions.

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Article information

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/B202598A
Article type: Paper
Submitted: 15 Mar 2002
Accepted: 26 Apr 2002
First published: 10 May 2002

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J. Environ. Monit., 2002,4, 431-434

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