Contamination of bela krajina, Slovenia with polychlorinated biphenyls 1. Levels of some high molecular chlorinated hydrocarbons in the water and fish of the Kupa River in Croatia

Abstract

It is well documented that synthetic chlorinated hydrocarbon residues are widespread throughout the world ecosystem.

Recently serious contamination of the Kupa River in Slovenia resulting from improper disposal of the waste disharged by an electro-capacitor manufacturing plant was observed. The migration of the PCBs from the waste tip into the karst ground water and source water has been established. PCBs have been also introduced into the small Lahinja River a tributary of the Kupa. Consequently, these pollutants have been detected in the Kupa river. An investigation of the levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons in tap water, water and fish samples collected from 1985 to 1988 from the Kupa River in the region of Petrinja and Sisak was performed. This region is about 200 km downstream of the primary contamined area.

Concentrations of chlorinated insecticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in tap water ranged from <0.2 to 5.0 ng dm⁻³ for PCBs such as Aroclor 1254 and from <0.4 to 10.4 ng dm⁻³ for PCBs such as Pyralene 1500. In the Kupa River, water samples were found with PCBs such as Aroclor 1254 from <1.5 to 5.0 and from <2.6 to 104 ng dm⁻³ for PCBs such as Pyralene 1500. The level of the investigated chlorinated insecticides were under the sensitivity limits of 0.05 for dieldrin and 0.1 ng dm⁻³ for DDTs. Concentrations of chlorinated insecticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in the fish samples were several orders of magnitude higher in comparison with the water samples and ranged from the sensitivity limit for dieldrin (<0.0001) to 0.0034 mg kg⁻¹; p,p'DDT from 0.0003 to 0.0076 mg kg⁻¹; p,p'DDE from 0.0004 to 0.1752 mg kg⁻¹; p,p'DDD from 0.0001 to 0.0201 mg kg⁻¹ wet weight. Concentrations of PCBs were significantly higher and ranged from 0.015 to 2.742 mg kg⁻¹ wet weight for Pyralene 1500 and from 0.090 to 1.590 mg kg⁻¹ for Aroclor 1254 +Aroclor 1260.