Present Status of Organochlorine Pesticides Contamination in Water from Honghu Lake, China

Organochlorine pesticides were detected and analyzed in surface water, bottom water and porewater from Honghu Lake, middle of China. The concentrations of total HCHs in surface water and bottom water were 3.52-5.68 ng/L and 3.77-6.86 ng/L respectively, and the concentrations of total DDTs were 0.39-2.38 ng/L and 0.91-6.05 ng/L respectively. Compared with the water quality of other regions, the concentrations of OCPs in Honghu Lake were lower. The concentrations of OCPs in bottom water from Honghu Lake were higher than those in surface water, but OCPs concentrations in porewater were greatly higher than those in bottom water. It indicated that OCPs in water of Honghu Lake were mainly derived from re-suspension and release of pollutants in sediments. Among four component compounds of HCHs, γ-HCH was major contributor in water, which suggested there are still lindane to be used in this region in recent years. The predominance of DDE in total DDTs indicated that DDT had been degraded mostly to its metabolite and DDTs in water from Hongu Lake might be mainly originated from aged weathered soil residues.