Abstract
The occurrence, distribution, sources, and ecological risks of organochlorine pesticides in Dongting Lake of China were investigated. The average concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in 22 surface water samples and 14 sediment samples were 90.07 ng/L and 80.65 ng/g dw, respectively. Sixteen types of OCPs, dominated by HCHs, DDTs and heptachlor, were detected in the Dongting Lake. The relationships of OCP residues between Dongting Lake and its tributary rivers have been discussed and the hydraulic connections with the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) were also considered. Results showed that the shortage of runoff, earlier dry season, and reduction of sediment deposition extremely deteriorated the hydraulic conditions, magnified the water cycle, and restrained the self-purification of OCPs. The ∑OCPs in surface water were concentrated in the inlets of Yangtze River, Lishui River, Zishui River, Yuanshui River, and Xiangjiang River. Moreover, the ∑OCPs in the outlet of the Yangtze River also maintained a high level, indicating that OCPs posed adverse effects on the Yangtze River. Risk assessments of OCPs in the surface water of Dongting Lake were estimated according to available water quality guidelines and health risk assessment models. The results indicated that OCPs in the surface water of Dongting Lake were safe for aquatic organisms and human health. In addition, sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) were also applied to evaluate the potential ecotoxicological risks of OCPs in sediments. The results presented that contaminants of γ-HCH; o,p′-DDD; and dieldrin in sediment had adverse effects on benthic organisms, indicating that fundamental solutions should be proposed to control OCP contamination in Dongting Lake.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this manuscript and its supplementary information files.
References
Alonso-Hernández CM, Tolosa I, Mesa-Albernas M, Díaz-Asencio M, Corcho-Alvarado JA, Sánchez-Cabeza JA (2015) Historical trends of organochlorine pesticides in a sediment core from the Gulf of Batabanó, Cuba. Chemosphere 137:95–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.05.044
Arisekar U, Jeya Shakila R, Shalini R, Jeyasekaran G (2021) Pesticides contamination in the Thamirabarani, a perennial river in peninsular India: the first report on ecotoxicological and human health risk assessment. Chemosphere 267:129251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129251
Arora SK, Batra P, Sharma T, Banerjee BD, Gupta S (2013) Role of organochlorine pesticides in children with idiopathic seizures. ISRN Pediatr 2013:849709. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/849709
CCME (2002) Canadian sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.
Chen Z-l, Dong F-s, Xu J, Liu X-g, Zheng Y-q (2015) Management of pesticide residues in China. J Integr Agric 14:2319–2327. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61110-8
El-Kady AA, Wade TL, Sweet ST, Sericano JL (2017) Distribution and residue profile of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in sediment and fish of Lake Manzala, Eqypt. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:10301–10312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8714-1
EU (1980) 80/77–8/EEC (1980). Off J Eur Communities 229:11
GB (3838) (2002) SEPA (State Environmental Protection Administration of China) Environmental quality standard for surface water
Gouin T, Mackay D, Jones KC, Harner T, Meijer SNJE (2004) Evidence for the “grasshopper” effect and fractionation during long-range atmospheric transport of organic contaminants. Environ Pollut 128:139–148
Guo W, Zhang H, Huo S (2014) Organochlorine pesticides in aquatic hydrophyte tissues and surrounding sediments in Baiyangdian wetland, China. Ecol Eng 67:150–155
Guo L, Su N, Zhu C, He Q (2018) How have the river discharges and sediment loads changed in the Changjiang River basin downstream of the Three Gorges Dam? J Hydrol 560:259–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.03.035
Harner T, Shoeib M, Diamond M, Stern G, Rosenberg BJE (2004) Using passive air samplers to assess urban− rural trends for persistent organic pollutants. 1. Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides. Sci Techol 38:4474–4483
He W, Qin N, He Q-S, Wang Y, Kong X-Z, Xu F-LJEI (2012) Characterization, ecological and health risks of DDTs and HCHs in water from a large shallow Chinese lake. Ecol Informatics 12:77–84
Hong SH, Yim UH, Shim WJ, Oh JR, Viet PH, Park PS (2008) Persistent organochlorine residues in estuarine and marine sediments from Ha Long Bay, Hai Phong Bay, and Ba Lat Estuary, Vietnam. Chemosphere 72:1193–1202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.02.051
Hu Y, Yuan L, Qi S, Liu H, Xing X (2014) Contamination of organochlorine pesticides in water and sediments from a waterbird-inhabited lake, East Central China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21:9376–9384
Hu C, Fang C, Cao W (2015) Shrinking of Dongting lake and its weakening connection with the Yangtze river: analysis of the impact on flooding. Int J Sediment Res 30:256–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2014.05.001
Hu M, Li Y, Zhu B, Chen M (2016) Impact on erosion and deposition in main stream by flow and sediment diversion at three outlets along the Jingjiang River. J Sediment Res 68–73. https://doi.org/10.16239/j.cnki.0468-155x.2016.04.011
Hu Y, Qi S, Zhang J, Tan L, Zhang J, Wang Y, Yuan D (2011) Assessment of organochlorine pesticides contamination in underground rivers in Chongqing, Southwest China. J Geochem Explor 111:47–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2011.07.006
Huang Q, Sun Z, Jiahu J (2011) Impacts of the operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir on the lake water level of Lake Dongting. J Lake Sci Chin 23:424–428
Ingersoll CG et al (1996) Calculation and evaluation of sediment effect concentrations for the amphipod Hyalella azteca and the midge Chironomus riparius. J Great Lakes Res 22:602–623. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0380-1330(96)70984-X
Jia H, Pan D, Zhang W (2014) Study on land use / cover change impact on wetlands of Dongting Lake area for nearly 30 years China. Populat Resourc Environ 24:126–128
Li C et al (2017) National investigation of semi-volatile organic compounds (PAHs, OCPs, and PCBs) in lake sediments of China: occurrence, spatial variation and risk assessment. Sci Total Environ 579:325–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.097
Li J, Chen Y, Wu X, Hu J, Huang Y (2008) Studies on residues of organochloride pesticides in the soils of Hunan Province. Res Environ Sci Chin 21:85–90. https://doi.org/10.13198/j.res.2008.05.87.lijsh.016
Li J, Yin H, Chang J, Lu C, Zhou H (2009) Sedimentation effects of the Dongting Lake Area. J Geogr Sci 19:287–298. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-009-0287-6
Li J, Zhang G, Qi S, Li X, Peng X (2006) Concentrations, enantiomeric compositions, and sources of HCH, DDT and chlordane in soils from the Pearl River Delta, South China. Sci Total Environ 372:215–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.09.023
Li Y, Lin T, Qin Y, Zhang L, Guo Z (2013) Distribution and sources of organochlorine pesticides in sediments of the Xiangjiang River, south-central China. Environ Monit Assess 185:8861–8871. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3218-z
Ma L, Muir D, Wang X, Xu X (2005) Simultaneous analysis of organic pollutants in soils by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Int J Environ Anal Chem 85:89–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/03067310512331324736
Liu J, Zhu C, Shi Y, Li H, Wang L, Qin S, Kang S, Huang Y, Jin Y, Lin J (2012a) Surveillance of Schistosoma japonicum infection in domestic ruminants in the Dongting Lake region, Hunan province, China. PLoS ONE 7:e31876. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031876
Liu WX, He W, Qin N, Kong XZ, He QS, Ouyang HL, Yang B, Wang QM, Yang C, Jiang YJ, Wu WJ, Xu FL (2012b) Residues, distributions, sources, and ecological risks of OCPs in the water from Lake Chaohu, China. Sci World J 2012:16. https://doi.org/10.1100/2012/897697
Long ER, MacDonald DD, Smith SL, Calder FD (1995) Incidence of adverse biological effects within ranges of chemical concentrations in marine and estuarine sediments. EnvironManag 19:81–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02472006
Lu M, Zeng D, Liao Y, Tong B (2012) Distribution and characterization of organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediment from Poyang Lake, China. Sci Total Environ 433:491–497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.06.108
Mahmoud AF, Ikenaka Y, Yohannes YB, Darwish WS, Eldaly EA, Morshdy AE, Nakayama SM, Mizukawa H, Ishizuka M (2016) Distribution and health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residue in edible cattle tissues from northeastern part of Egypt: High accumulation level of OCPs in tongue. Chemosphere 144:1365–1371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.10.016
McKinlay R, Plant JA, Bell JN, Voulvoulis N (2008) Endocrine disrupting pesticides: implications for risk assessment. Environ Int 34(2):168–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2007.07.013
Middeldorp PJM, Jaspers M, Zehnder AJB, Schraa G (1996) Biotransformation of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-hexachlorocyclohexane under methanogenic conditions. Environ Sci Technol 30:2345–2349. https://doi.org/10.1021/es950782+
Miglioranza KSB, Gonzalez M, Ondarza PM, Mitton F, Fillmann G (2013) Assessment of persistent organic pollutants in the atmosphere of Latin America. ACS Symposium Series 1149:183–199. https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2013-1149.ch009
Muzyed SKI, Kucuksezgin F, Tuzmen N (2017) Persistent organochlorine residues in fish and sediments collected from Eastern Aegean coast: levels, occurrence and ecological risk. Mar Pollut Bull 119:247–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.04.040
Nakata H, Kawazoe M, Arizono K, Abe S, Kitano T, Shimada H, Li W, Ding X (2002) Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in foodstuffs and human tissues from china: status of contamination, historical trend, and human dietary exposure. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 43(4):473–480. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-002-1254-8
Niu L, Xu C, Zhu S, Liu W (2016) Residue patterns of currently, historically and never-used organochlorine pesticides in agricultural soils across China and associated health risks. Environ Pollut 219:315–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.060
Prokeš R, Vrana B, Klánová J (2012) Levels and distribution of dissolved hydrophobic organic contaminants in the Morava river in Zlín district, Czech Republic as derived from their accumulation in silicone rubber passive samplers. Environ Pollut 166:157–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2012.02.022
Qian Y, Zheng M, Zhang B, Gao L, Liu W (2006) Determination and assessment of HCHs and DDTs residues in sediments from Lake Dongting, China. Environ Monit Assess 116:157–167. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-7233-1
Qu C et al (2015) Spatial and seasonal variations of atmospheric organochlorine pesticides along the plain-mountain transect in central China: regional source vs. long-range transport and air–soil exchange. Atmos Environ 122:31–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.09.008
Riedinger N, Formolo MJ, Lyons TW, Henkel S, Beck A, Kasten S (2014) An inorganic geochemical argument for coupled anaerobic oxidation of methane and iron reduction in marine sediments. Geobiology 12(2):172–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/gbi.12077
Roncati L, Piscioli F, Pusiol T (2016) The endocrine disruptors among the environmental risk factors for stillbirth. Sci Total Environ 563:1086–1087
Shen BW, Jinglu, Zhao Z (2017) Organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and sediment ofthe Bosten Lake, Northwest China. J Arid Land 9:287–298. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-017-0008-4
Shen R, Bao Z, Zhou M, Qiao S, Xie S (2007) Temporal-spatial evolution of water quality in Lake Dongting, China. J Lake Sci 2007:677–682
Shi W et al (2011) Identification of trace organic pollutants in freshwater sources in Eastern China and estimation of their associated human health risks. Ecotoxicology 20:1099–1106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-011-0671-8
Tang Z, Huang Q, Yang Y, Zhu X, Fu H (2013) Organochlorine pesticides in the lower reaches of Yangtze River: occurrence, ecological risk and temporal trends. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 87:89–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2012.10.001
Tian Z, Wang L, Zheng B, Li X (2016) Impact simulation of the Chenglingji hydraulic project on hydrodynamics of Dongting Lake. Acta Scienti Circumstantiae China 36:1883–1890. https://doi.org/10.13671/j.hjkxxb.2015.0676
USEPA (1989) Risk assessment guidance for superfund. Human health evaluation manual, Part A, vol. 1. Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, United States Environment Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. EPA/540/1-89/002.
USEPA (2002) Current national recommended water quality criteria. Available from: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/wqcriteria.html.
USEPA (2011) Exposure factors handbook: 2011 Edition. Office of Research and Development, vol. 504. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. EPA/600/R-090/052F.
Vijgen J et al (2011) Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) as new Stockholm Convention POPs—a global perspective on the management of Lindane and its waste isomers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18:152–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-010-0417-9
Walker K, Vallero DA, Lewis RG (1999) Factors influencing the distribution of lindane and other hexachlorocyclohexanes in the environment. Environ Sci Technol 33:4373–4378. https://doi.org/10.1021/es990647n
Wang X, Xu J, Guo C, Zhang Y (2012) Distribution and Sources of Organochlorine Pesticides in Taihu Lake, China. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 89(6):1235–1239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0854-x
Wang L, Li Z, Wang FT, Edwards R (2014) Glacier shrinkage in the Ebinur lake basin, Tien Shan, China, during the past 40 years. J Glaciol 220(60):245–254
Wang Q, Yuan H, Jin J, Li P, Ma Y, Wang Y (2017a) Organochlorine pesticide concentrations in pooled serum of people in different age groups from five Chinese cities. Sci Total Environ 586:1012–1019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.082
Wang W, Bai J, Xi M, Zhao Q, Zhang G, Wen X, Xiao R (2017b) Occurrence, sources, and risk assessment of OCPs in surface sediments from urban, rural, and reclamation-affected rivers of the Pearl River Delta, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:2535–2548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-8016-z
Wang Z, Wen S, Xing B, Gao D, Li F (2008) Rhizosphere effect of different aquatic plants on phosphorus depletion. Front Environ Sci Eng China 2:274–279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-008-0048-2
Weaver TB, Ghadiri H, Hulugalle NR, Harden S (2012) Organochlorine pesticides in soil under irrigated cotton farming systems in Vertisols of the Namoi Valley, north-western New South Wales, Australia. Chemosphere 88:336–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.03.008
Wei D, Kameya T, Urano K (2007) Environmental management of pesticidal POPs in China: past, present and future. Environ Int 33(7):894–902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2007.04.006
Wei L, Tadesse AW, Wang J (2019) Organohalogenated contaminants (OHCs) in surface sediments and water of east Dongting Lake and Hong Lake, China. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 76:157–170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-018-0564-4
World Health Organization (2011) The use of DDT in malaria vector control: WHO position statement The use of DDT in malaria vector control: WHO position statement, p 9
Yan C, Yang Y, Zhou J, Liu M, Nie M, Shi H, Gu L (2013) Antibiotics in the surface water of the Yangtze Estuary: occurrence, distribution and risk assessment. Environ Pollut 175:22–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2012.12.008
Yang Y-Y, Toor GS, Williams CF (2015) Pharmaceuticals and organochlorine pesticides in sediments of an urban river in Florida, USA. J Soils Sediments 15:993–1004. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1077-7
Yao Z, Bao Z, Gao P (2006) Environmental assessments of trace metals in sediments from Dongting Lake, Central China. J China Univ Geosci 17:310–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0705(07)60004-1
Yuan L, Qi S, Wu X, Wu C, Xing X, Gong X (2013) Spatial and temporal variations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water and sediments from Honghu Lake, China. J Geochem Explor 132:181–187
Zhang G, Pan Z, Bai A, Li J, Li X (2014) Distribution and bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in food web of Nansi Lake, China. Environ Monit Assess 186:2039–2051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3516-5
Zhang L, Dong L, Shi S, Zhou L, Zhang T, Huang Y (2009) Organochlorine pesticides contamination in surface soils from two pesticide factories in Southeast China. Chemosphere 77:628–633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.08.055
Zhang R, Zhang S-H, Xu W, Wang B-D, Wang H (2015) Flow regime of the three outlets on the south bank of Jingjiang River, China: an impact assessment of the Three Gorges Reservoir for 2003–2010 Stochastic. Environ Res Risk Assess 29:2047–2060. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-015-1121-6
Zhao Z, Zhang L, Wu J (2016) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediments from lakes along the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River of China. Limnol Oceanogr 61:47–60. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10197
Zhi H, Zhao Z, Zhang LJC (2015) The fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water from Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China. Chemosphere 119:1134–1140
Zhou N, Zhao L, Shen X (2014) Copula-based probability evaluaton of rice-poor runoff and sediment encounter in Dongting Lake Basin. Sci Geogr Sin 34:242–248. https://doi.org/10.13249/j.cnki.sgs.2014.02.242
Zhu B, Yi L, Guo L, Chen G, Hu Y, Tang H, Xiao C, Xiao X, Yang G, Acharya SN, Zeng Z (2012) Performance of two winter cover crops and their impacts on soil properties and two subsequent rice crops in Dongting Lake Plain, Hunan, China. Soil Tillage Res 124:95–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2012.05.007
Zhu Z, Chen S, Zheng J, Tian M, Feng A, Luo X, Mai B (2014) Occurrence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in agricultural soils in a BFR-manufacturing region of North China. Sci Total Environ 481:47–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.023
Funding
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41807393) Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2015FY11-0900) and the State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
1. Fengmei Cao conducted experiments that led to the submission, acquired data, played an important role in interpreting the results, and drafted the manuscript.
2. Shaoyong Lu offered the conception of the study; contributed reagents materials and analysis tools for data analysis; and finally approved the final version.
3. Zhaozhao Li and Qi He helped perform the analysis with constructive discussions and gave suggestions when performing experiments.
4. Pan Qin helped to get samples in the field with careful maintenance.
5. Linlin Li helped perform the analysis with ARCGIS figures.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent to publish
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Hongwen Sun
1. The manuscript was not submitted to other journal for simultaneous consideration.
2. The submitted work was original and has not been published elsewhere in any form or language (partially or in full).
3. The study was not split up into several parts to increase the quantity of submissions and has not been submitted to various journals or to one journal over time.
4. Concurrent or secondary publication is sometimes justifiable, provided certain conditions are met. Examples include translations or a manuscript that is intended for a different group of readers.
5. Results of the submitted work were presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation (including image-based manipulation). Authors should adhere to discipline-specific rules for acquiring, selecting, and processing data.
6. No data, text, or theories by others were presented as if they were the author’s own (“plagiarism”).
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
ESM 1
(DOCX 41 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cao, F., Li, Z., He, Q. et al. Occurrence, spatial distribution, source, and ecological risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides in Dongting Lake, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 30841–30857 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12743-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12743-x