The Levels And Distribution Of Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) And Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) In Tumen River Environments, China

Persistent organochlorine compounds have aroused global concern, because of its toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation and long-distance transfers. They were analyzed in surface water, particle and surface sediment samples from in Tumen River, which is the first large river in YanBian, Jilin province of China. Twenty-four OCPs were analyzed and DDT, HCHs and HCLs were found to be present in high concentrations and high frequencies. The concentration of DDTs in the water, suspend particle and surface sediment ranged from 0.10-16.34 ng.L"1,0.01-21.77 ng.L"1 and 1.02-43.78 ng.g-1, respectively. The concentration of HCHs in the water, suspend particle and surface sediment were ranged from 1.51-52.56 ng.L-1, 1.01-17.05ng.L-1 and 0.36-37.82 ng.g-1, respectively. The concentration of HCLs in the water, suspend particle and surface sediment were ranged from 0.07-24.46 ng.L-1,0.07-31.46 ng.L-1 and 0.97-11.94 ng.g-1, and those of 16 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the three phases were:0.86-51.03 ng.L-1,0.08-60.98 ng.L-1 and 1.08-67.96 ng.g-1 respectively. The results showed that the concentrations of these selected organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in sediment were higher than those in particles and surface water. It may be due to the fact that these organic hydrophobic pollutants tend to stay in the sediments, and then re-suspend from the sedimentary phase to the upper water. The highest levels of OCPs and PCBs were found at site S11 and S3, which is located near an area that is occupied by paper manufacturing plants. The isomers percentage of OCPs in sediment were found at all sample locations were historical sources besides S1, Which had news input of DDT. The PCBs congeners containing 3-6 chlorines had the great preponderance in water and 5-8 chlorines had the great preponderance in surface sediment.