Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in sediments and fish from freshwater cultured fish ponds in different agricultural contexts in north-eastern France.

Abstract: Organochlorine pesticides (HCB, HCH with α-, β-, and γ isomers, heptachlor, cis-heptachlor epoxyde, trans-heptachlor epoxyde, endosulfan with α- and β isomers, sulfate endosulfan, o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDE, o,p′-DDD, p,p′-DDD, chlorothalonil, alachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, methoxychlor, oxychlordane, chlordane with α- and γ isomers, p,p′-dicofol and o,p′-dicofol) and indicators PCBs (IUPAC nos. 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) were studied both in sediments and muscles of farmed fish species (Cyprinus carpio and Perca fluviatilis). Samples were collected from fish ponds located in the hydrographic basin of the Moselle River (Lorraine Region, France). OCPs and PCBs were present at low concentrations both in sediments and fish muscles. Concerning sediments, ∑DDTs revealed concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 2.30ngg⁻¹ dw and ∑PCBs ranged from 0.3 to 3.5ngg⁻¹ dw. Concerning fish muscles, the highest concentrations in OCPs were those of p,p′-DDE, with average concentrations of 0.57±0.44ngg⁻¹ ww for carp and 0.58±0.29ngg⁻¹ ww for perch. The contamination profiles proved to be different depending on the fish species. Indeed, HCH-isomers, HCB, and dieldrin were detected only for the carp and always at low concentrations. For example, the highest concentration of HCHs was observed for β-HCH with a mean value of 0.64±0.15ngg⁻¹ ww for carp. As for PCBs, the levels of ∑PCBs ranged from 0.3 to 6.4ngg⁻¹ ww in carp muscles and from 0.90 to 5.60ngg⁻¹ ww in perch muscles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]