Organochlorine Pesticides in Karst Soil: Levels, Distribution, and Source Diagnosis

Wei Chen, Faming Zeng, Wei Liu, Jianwei Bu, Guofeng Hu, Songshi Xie, Hongyan Yao, Hong Zhou, Shihua Qi and Huanfang Huang
Additional contact information
Wei Chen: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430078, China
Faming Zeng: School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
Wei Liu: Institute of Geological Survey, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Jianwei Bu: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430078, China
Guofeng Hu: China City Environment Protection Engineering Limited Company (CCEPC), Wuhan 430071, China
Songshi Xie: Shandong Institute of Geological Survey, Jinan 250013, China
Hongyan Yao: Ecological Environment Monitoring Station, Ninth Division, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Tacheng 834601, China
Hong Zhou: Institute of Geological Survey, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Shihua Qi: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430078, China
Huanfang Huang: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-16

Abstract: Excessive reclamation and improper use of agrochemicals in karst areas leads to serious non-point source pollution, which is of great concern and needs to be controlled, since contaminants can easily pollute groundwater due to the thin patchy soil and developed karst structures. The occurrences of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in karst soil were investigated by analyzing 25 OCPs in the karst soils near the Three Gorges Dam, China. The total concentrations of OCPs ranged 161–43,100 (6410 ± 9620) pg/g, with the most abundant compounds being p , p’ -DDT and mirex. The concentration differences between the orchard and vegetable field and between upstream and downstream presented the influences of land-use type and water transport on the OCP spatial distributions. Composition analysis indicated the possible fresh inputs of lindane, technical DDT, aldrin, endrin, mirex, and methoxychlor. Their illegal uses implied an insufficient agrochemical management system in undeveloped karst areas. Principal component analysis with multiple linear regression analysis characterized the dominant sources from current agricultural use and current veterinary use in the study area. OCPs in the soils might not pose significant cancer risk for the residents, but they need to be controlled due to their illegal uses and bioaccumulation effect via the food chain.

Keywords: illegal use; non-point source pollution; agricultural use; veterinary use; Three Gorges (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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