Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Levels, distribution pattern and ecological risk assessment of organochlorines pesticides (OCPs) in water and sediments from two tributaries of the Chenab River, Pakistan

  • Published:
Ecotoxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Residue levels, distribution patterns and ecological risk assessment of OCPs in water and sediment samples collected from two upstream feeding tributaries of the River Chenab, Pakistan were monitored. ΣOCPs levels in water and sediment ranged between 8 and 76 ng L−1 and 17 and 224 ng g−1, respectively. The mean concentration of ΣHCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) was 3.3 ± 3.2 ng L−1 and 8.4 ± 9 ng g−1 for water and sediment samples, respectively, while ΣDDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) exhibited the average concentration of 9.07 ± 6.15 ng L−1 and 40.3 ± 26.2 ng g−1 for water and sediment samples, respectively. The concentration of DDT and HCHs in both water and sediment samples were about 80 % of total OCPs and DDTs were the predominant organochlorines in the investigated matrix. DDTs and HCHs in sediment samples posed higher ecotoxicological risk and results were significant when compared with the quality guidelines. Results of the present study should be taken seriously by higher authorities as there is a serious threat to ecological integrities by OCPs exposure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahad K, Mohammad A, Khan H, Ahmad I, Hayat Y (2010) Monitoring results for organochlorine pesticides in soil and water from selected obsolete pesticide stores in Pakistan. Environ Monit Assess. doi:10.1007/s10661-009-0995-5

  • Alamdar A, Syed JH, Malik RN, Katsoyiannis A, Liu J, Li J, Zhang G, Jones KC (2014) Organochlorine pesticides in surface soils from obsolete pesticide dumping ground in Hyderabad City, Pakistan: contamination levels and their potential for air–soil exchange. Sci Total Environ. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.09.053

  • Ali M, Jabbar A (1991) Government of Pakistan. Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Islamabad

    Google Scholar 

  • Bano A, Siddique SA (1991) Chlorinated hydrocarbons in the sediments from the coastal waters of Karachi Pakistan. Pak J Sci Ind Res 34:70–74

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buser HR, Muller MD (1995) Isomer and enantioselective degradation of hexachlorocyclohexane isomers in sewage-sludge under anaerobic conditions. Environ Sci Technol 29:664–672

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (2002) Canadian sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Canadian environmental quality guidelines. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen SJ, Luo XJ, Mai BX, Sheng GY, Fu JM, Zeng EY (2006) Distribution and mass inventories of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary and the Northern South China Sea. Environ Sci Technol 40:709–714

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eqani SAMAS, Malik RN, Mohammad A (2011) The level and distribution of selected organochlorines pesticides in sediments from River Chenab, Pakistan. Environ Geochem Health 33:33–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eqani SAMAS, Malik RN, Katsoyiannis A, Zhang G, Chakraborty P, Mohammad A et al (2012) Distribution and risk assessment of organochlorine contaminants in surface water from River Chenab, Pakistan. J Environ Monit 14:1645–1654

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feng JL, Zhai MX, Qun L, Sun JH, Guo JJ (2011) Residues of organochlorines pesticides (OCPs) in upper reach of the Huaihe River, East China. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 74:2252–2259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu LM, Zhang G, Zheng BH, Qin YW, Lin T, Guo ZG (2009) Occurrence and distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediments of the Bohai Sea, China. Chemosphere 77:663–672

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu WY, Wang TY, Khim JS, Luo W, Jiao WT, Lu YL, Naile JE, Chen CL, Zhang X, Giesy JP (2010) HCH and DDT in sediments from marine and adjacent riverine areas of North Bohai Sea, China. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 59:71–79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IRIS, DDT, DDE, DDD (2004) In: U. Integrated risk information system (Ed.), US Environmental Protection Agency, US EPA integrated risk information system. http://www.epa.gov/iris/. Accessed 07 July 2010

  • Jan MR, Shah J, Khwaja MA, Gul K (2008) DDT residue in soil and water in and around abandoned DDT manufacturing factory. Environ Monit Assess 155:31–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalantzi OI, Alcock RE, Johnston PA, Santillo D, Stringer RL, Thomas GO et al (2001) The global distribution of PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in butter. Environ Sci Technol 35:1013–1018

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Wang W, Wang J, Cao X, Wang X, Liu J, Liu X, Xu X, Jiang X (2008) Contamination of soils with organochlorine pesticides in urban parks in Beijing, China. Chemosphere 70:1660–1668

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Long ER, Field LJ, MacDonald DD (1998) Predicting toxicity in marine sediments with numeral sediment quality guidelines. Environ Toxicol Chem 17:714–727

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Minh NH, Minh TB, Kajiwara N, Kunisue T, Subramanian A, Iwata H, Tana TS, Baburajendran R, Karuppiah S, Viet PH, Tuyen BC, Tanabe S (2006) Contamination by persistent organic pollutants in dumping sites of Asian developing countries: implication of emerging pollution sources. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 50:474–481

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu XH, Zhu T, Yao B, Hu JX, Hu SW (2005) Contribution of dicofol to the current DDT pollution in China. Environ Sci Technol 39:4385–4390

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar SK, Bhattacharya BD, Bhattacharya A, Chatterjee M, Alam A, Satpathy KK et al (2008) Occurrence, distribution and possible sources of organochlorine pesticide residues in tropical coastal environment of India: an overview. Environ Int 34:1062–1071

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh KP, Malik A, Mohan D, Takroo R (2005) Distribution of persistent organochlorines pesticide residues in Gomti River, India. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 74:146–154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Syed JH, Malik RN (2011) Occurrence and source identification of organochlorine pesticide (OCPs) in the surrounding surface soils of the Ittehad Chemical Industries Kalashah Kaku, Pakistan. Environ Earth Sci 62:1311–1321

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Syed JH, Malik RN, Liu D, Xu Y, Wang Y, Li J et al (2013a) Organochlorine pesticides in air and soil and estimated air–soil exchange in Punjab, Pakistan. Sci Tot Environ 444:491–497

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Syed JH, Malik RN, Muhammad A (2013b) Organochlorine pesticides in surface soils and sediments from obsolete pesticides dumping site near Lahore city, Pakistan: contamination status and their distribution. Chem Ecol. doi:10.1080/02757540.2013.829051

  • Tang ZW, Yang ZF, Shen ZY, Niu JF, Cai YP (2008) Residues of organochlorines pesticides in water and suspended particulate matter from the Yangtze River catchment of Wuhan, China. Environ Monit Assess 137:427–439

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turgut C (2003) The contamination with organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals in surface water in Kucuk Menderes River in Turkey, 2000–2002. Environ Int 29:29–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Walker K, Vallero DA, Lewis RG (1999) Factors influencing the distribution of lindane and other hexachlorocyclo hexanes in the environment. Environ Sci Technol 33:4373–4378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang RQ, Lv AH, Shi JB, Jaing GB (2005) The level and distribution of organochlorines pesticides (OCPs) in sediments from the Haihe River, China. Chemosphere 61:347–354

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang D, Qi S, Zhang J, Wue C, Xing X (2013) Organochlorine pesticides in soil, water and sediment along the Jinjiang River main stream to Quanzhou Bay, south east China. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 89:59–65

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng XY, Liu XD, Liu WJ, Jiang GB, Yang RQ (2009) Concentrations and source identification of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in soils from Wolong Natural Reserve. Chin Sci Bull 54:743–751

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Y, Liu H, Xi Z, Cheng H, Xu X (2005) Organochlorine pesticides (DDTs and HCHs) in soils from the outskirts of Beijing, China. Chemosphere 60:770–778

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to acknowledge the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) for providing support under the IRSIP (International Research Support Initiative Program). We also express our thanks to Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. We are highly thankful to Prof. Dr. Xiandong Li (Polytechnic University, Hong Kong) for providing assistance for samples transportation to Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Guangzhou, China. Authors can never forget to acknowledge Mr. Irfan Ali Ch. who guided to collect samples from far areas during sampling.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Adeel Mahmood

  2. Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Riffat Naseem Malik

  3. State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Jun Li & Gan Zhang

Authors
  1. Adeel Mahmood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Riffat Naseem Malik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jun Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Adeel Mahmood or Riffat Naseem Malik.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 25 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mahmood, A., Malik, R.N., Li, J. et al. Levels, distribution pattern and ecological risk assessment of organochlorines pesticides (OCPs) in water and sediments from two tributaries of the Chenab River, Pakistan. Ecotoxicology 23, 1713–1721 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-014-1332-5

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-014-1332-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation