ABSTRACT
Data on the accumulation of pesticides in marine sediments is limited, especially considering the length of India’s coastline (see Table 5.3). Sarkar and Sen Gupta (1987) measured pesticide residues in sediments from 14 locations along the westcentral coast of India in the Arabian Sea. Sediment samples taken during September 1986 showed OC pesticides in the following order: HCH > aldrin > p,p´-DDE > p,p´-DDT > o,p´-DDE > p,p´-DDD > dieldrin. HCH was detected in almost all sediment samples at concentrations ranging from 0.44 to 17.9 ng g-1
ww. Although the paper does not state which HCH isomer was detected, it is likely that only γ-HCH was estimated. Aldrin was found at concentrations ranging from 0.95 to 35.7 ng g-1 ww. Residues of p,p´-DDT, p,p´-DDE, and o,p´-DDE were found in some sediment samples. Total DDT detected ranged from 7.01 to 179.10 ng g-1 ww. It is interesting to note that HCH was found in 12 of 14 samples while DDT and its metabolites were found in only 5 of 14 sediment samples.
