ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Residues and Distributions of Organochlorine
Pesticides in China’s Weihe River
Di Wang, Shengke Yang, Geng Wang, Lunchuan Gao, Yanni Wang,
Qianli Jiang, Yuyun Chen
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Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education,
Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, P. R. China
Submission date: 2015-08-06
Final revision date: 2015-10-28
Acceptance date: 2016-02-16
Publication date: 2016-05-25
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2016;25(3):1285-1292
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ABSTRACT
To exam ine the residues and distributions of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs),
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and other organochlorine pesticides (OCPs ) in the Weihe
River basin of northwest China, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) was employed to
analyze the samples collected from surface water, suspended solids, and sediments. Results showed t hat
total concentrations of HCHs, DDT, and other OCPs in surface water were in the range of 2.41-178.18,
0.94-116.83, and 3.64-37.17 ng/L, respectively; in suspended solids they were 5 1.76-241.23, 2.82-
12.23, and 11.35-37.67 ng/L, respectively; and in sediments they were 74.13-517.49, 1.20-370.98, and
7.94-110.13 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The α-HCH/γ-HCH ratio indicated that historical usage of
technical mixtures of HCHs was the main source of HCHs. The DDT ratio indicated that DDT at most sites
came from older uses of technical DDT. Compared with some guideline values of OCPs in surface water,
the concentrations of HCHs and DDT were at safe levels. Meanwhile, the Weihe River sediments have high
ecological risk pesticides.