Hexachlorocyclohexanes, Cyclodiene, Methoxychlor, and Heptachlor in Sediment of the Alvarado Lagoon System in Veracruz, Mexico

María Castañeda-Chávez,Gabycarmen Navarrete-Rodríguez,Fabiola Lango-Reynoso

doi:10.3390/su10010076

María Castañeda-Chávez, Gabycarmen Navarrete-Rodríguez + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010076

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Jan 5, 2018
Citations: 7	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Instituto Tecnologico de Veracruz

Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides are used in agricultural areas and health campaigns, which reach the coastal environment through rivers, drains, runoffs, and atmospheric transport. In aquatic environments, they are adsorbed by particles of organic matter, depositing themselves in sediments in the bottom of these bodies, in which benthic organisms of commercial interest for human consumption inhabit. The objective of this research was to evaluate the concentration of organochlorine pesticides in sediment from the Alvarado lagoon system in Veracruz, Mexico. In 20 out of 41 sampling sites analyzed, 11 banned organochlorine pesticides were identified, such as hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), lindane, aldrin, dieldrin, and endrin. The highest concentrations were as follows: aldrin: 46.05 ng g−1; β-HCH: 42.11 ng g−1; α-HCH: 38.44 ng g−1; gamma γ-HCH (lindane): 34.20 ng g−1; δ-HCH: 31.61 ng g−1; methoxychlor: 29.40 ng g−1; heptachlor epoxide: 25.70 ng g−1; heptachlor: 24.11 ng g−1; dieldrin: 22.13 ng g−1; endrin: 21.23 ng g−1; endrin aldehyde: 12.40 ng g−1. Concentrations reported are prohibited in international standards. There is a strong need to further evaluate, with scientific studies, the level of concentration reported by impact of compounds widely used in agricultural livestock activities.

Highlights

Persistent organic compounds (POPs) are a chemical group that poses a high risk to public health and the environment; these compounds due to their transport capacity in the air or by runoffs reach areas far from where they were initially applied [1]
The authors of [14] indicated that the main routes of entry of organochlorine pesticides correspond to those used in agricultural areas, for its extensive use in the agricultural areas surrounding these lagoon systems, where the incorporation of these pesticides reach the coastal environment through rivers, drains, and runoffs and through atmospheric transport
This indicates that there is a high risk for the aquatic biota that is in direct contact with the sediment in these sampling sites, the molluscs, which act as a link between higher trophic levels like humans, which are indicative of pollution [31]

Summary

Introduction

Persistent organic compounds (POPs) are a chemical group that poses a high risk to public health and the environment; these compounds due to their transport capacity in the air or by runoffs reach areas far from where they were initially applied [1] Because of their chemical characteristics, these organic molecules are classified as prohibited in the Stockholm Convention list. The authors of [14] indicated that the main routes of entry of organochlorine pesticides correspond to those used in agricultural areas, for its extensive use in the agricultural areas surrounding these lagoon systems, where the incorporation of these pesticides reach the coastal environment through rivers, drains, and runoffs and through atmospheric transport Likewise, those that are used in health campaigns join them [14,15]. Several processes occur that cause the deposition of organochlorine compounds in the sediments of these water bodies, where they are in direct contact with benthic organisms that inhabit this zone and are of commercial interest for human consumption [16,17]

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