DDT and other pesticides pollution in the Bajo Lempa region, El Salvador
Quinteros, E; Ribó A.; Jovel R.; Orantes C.;López D.
Presentation: 29.10.2013, 11:15 am [Video]
Discussion: 29.10.2013, 11:30 am [Discussion]
Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are chemical substances easily absorbed by the soil and sediment, highly persistent in the environment, resistant to microbial degradation (Bhattacharya et al. 2003; WHO 1989), highly toxic to humans (WHO 1990; Li et al., 2006) and are accumulated through the food chain (Jan et al., 2008; Jensen et al., 1969). The presence of OCPs and especially DDT in the environment is related to various human activities such as industrial and domestic discharges and agricultural practices (Bhattacharya et al., 2003). In El Salvador, DDT was used mainly between 1950 and 1970 in cotton cultivation however it was used util 1981. This study aims to characterize the content of DDT and its metabolites in the environment, for which samples were collected from surface water, groundwater and water supply network, housing land, agricultural soil and sediments of Ciudad Romero, a community located in Bajo Lempa region (El Salvador). Bajo Lempa, an agricultural area located in the delta of Lempa river, which is mainly engaged in the cultivation of maize, rice, beans and sugar cane. The identification and quantification of pesticides organochlorine and organophosphorus in water, soil and sediments, was performed using a gas chromatograph detector. The results showed DDT pollution mainly in the sediments of Lempa River, Espino river and in shrimp breeding ponds close to the community and in the soils of residential and agricultural areas of the community. Also soil contamination by other pesticides such as hexachlorobenzene, lindane, endosulfan I and II and endosulfan sulfate was found. Only few samples of ground water and surface water showed DDT pollution.
