Levels of organochlorine pesticides in fish, algae, sediments and sea water samples in the Aqaba Gulf

Abstract

The levels of the priority organochlorine pesticides were determined in fish, algae, sediment and sea water samples from the Gulf of Aqaba. Three groups of organochlorine pesticides in addition to hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were determined: DDT and its metabolites, hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH ‐isomers) and cyclopentadiene group (Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor and Heptachlorepoxide). The results show that all the investigated samples were unequally contaminated with the fifteen organochlorine pesticides. The fish samples showed the highest concentrations of organochlorine pesticides. All the investigated fish, algae and sea water samples were contaminated with some of the organochlorine pesticides varying from one sample to another with the highest concentrations of p,p'‐DDT, p,p'‐DDE, Dieldrin and γ‐HCH. The sediment samples showed low concentrations of Heptachlor and HCB while all other organochlorine compounds were below the detection limit.