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The level and distribution of selected organochlorine pesticides in sediments from River Chenab, Pakistan

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Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), viz. β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), γ-HCH, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, endosulfan-I, endosulfan-II, heptachlor endoepoxide, heptachlor exoepoxide, mirex, dicofol, o,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (o,p′-DDT), p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p′-DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethylene (DDE) and 12 other physicochemical parameters were measured in surface sediments from River Chenab during two sampling seasons (summer and winter, 2007) to evaluate spatial and temporal trends of sediment pollution. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis identified three groups of sites based on spatial similarities in physicochemical parameters and OCP residual concentrations. Spatial discriminant function analysis (DFA) segregated 14 parameters, viz. dicofol, endosulfan-I, heptachlor endoepoxide, dieldrin, DDD, DDE, endosulfan-II, o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDT, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), Cl−1, total P (%), and silt, which explained 96% of total variance between spatial groups. γ-HCH was the most frequently detected (63%) pesticide, followed by DDD (56%). The ratio of DDTs to their metabolites indicated current input and anaerobic biodegradation. Temporal DFA highlighted aldrin, heptachlor endoepoxide, Cl−1, total P, and EC as important variables which caused variations between summer and winter. DDTs were relatively more prevalent as compared to other OCPs in the sediments samples during both seasons. DDT metabolites were detected at greater frequencies and concentrations in winter, whereas DDT isomers were more prevalent in summer sediment samples. Factor analysis identified agricultural and industrial activities as major sources of sediment OCP contamination. Concentrations of γ-HCH, heptachlor endoepoxide, dieldrin, and DDTs (isomers and metabolites) in all sediment samples were well above interim sediment quality guidelines (ISQGs) and probable effect limits (PEL) given by Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines (CSQGs).

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Acknowledgments

The first author thanks the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for providing financial support under the Indigenous 5,000 fellowship program towards his PhD. We also acknowledge the Pakistan Wetland Program (PWP) for providing transportation during fieldwork. Efforts of research students of EBL, QAU during exhaustive fieldwork are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 46000, Pakistan

    Syed Ali-Musstjab-Akber-Shah Eqani & Riffat Naseem Malik

  2. Ecotoxicology Research Program, National Agricultural Research Center, Park Road, Islamabad, 45500, Pakistan

    Ashiq Mohammad

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  1. Syed Ali-Musstjab-Akber-Shah Eqani
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Correspondence to Riffat Naseem Malik.

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Eqani, S.AMAS., Malik, R.N. & Mohammad, A. The level and distribution of selected organochlorine pesticides in sediments from River Chenab, Pakistan. Environ Geochem Health 33, 33–47 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-010-9312-z

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