Pollution Characteristics of Organochlorine Pesticides in Water and Sediments of Huixian Karst Wetland in Guilin

Abstract

Karst wetland plays an important role in the ecological environment; however, due to the existence of karst pipeline, pollutants can threaten the underground environment through the highly developed karst pipeline. Therefore, understanding the pollution characteristics of the karst surface environment is the premise of pollution ecological risk assessment and prevention. In this study, 24 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were analyzed to study the concentration, composition, source, and risk of OCPs in water and surface sediments in the Huixian Wetland of Guilin. The results showed that:the concentration of OCPs in water ranged from 3.17 ng·L-1 to 92.50 ng·L-1, and the concentration of OCPs in sediment ranged from 1.16 ng·g-1 to 219.52 ng·g-1, showing the main pollution characteristics of HCHs and DDTs. The concentration of OCPs in water was higher in the wet season than that in the dry season. The concentration of OCPs in sediments was higher in the dry season than that in the wet season. The isomer ratios revealed that OCPs in the study area were mainly derived from long-term degradation residues, and some sites had new input of lindane. Based on Monte Carlo simulation, the human health risk assessment of the study area showed that the 95% quantile carcinogenic risk of OCPs in water was greater than 1×10-6, with potential but acceptable health risk. The non-carcinogenic risk was lower than 1, which indicated that the level of OCPs residues in the water in the study area was not enough to cause non-carcinogenic risk to the human body.