Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in marine sediments and seawater along the coast of Alicante, Spain

Abstract

In this paper we present the results obtained in a sampling programme carried out from 1989–1990, whose aim was to study the presence of organochlorine compounds in marine sediments and seawater along the coast of Alicante, Spain. There have been identified DDTs, HCHs, HCB, cyclodienic pesticides and derivatives and PCBs (Aroclor type commercial mixtures and selected PCB congeners). The analytical method consists of 3 phases, i.e. extraction, cleanup and analysis through capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The amount of material used for extraction was 1 kg of sediment samples and 50 l of seawater samples. The levels of organochlorines in sediments are low. Concentration ranges were as follows: PCB total, 0.05–9.69 ng g −1, sum of DDTs, 0.01–0.3 ng g −1, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), 0.01–0.12 ng g −1, and smaller values for other compounds. In the dissolved phase of seawater there were identified HCHs in concentrations ranging from 1.3–2 ng l −1.