Environmental Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides in Sediments from Quanzhou Bay, Southeast China

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) such as HCHs and DDTs in sediments from the Quanzhou Bay were investigated to evaluate the pollution. Sediment samples were collected at twelve sampling sites along the Bay from northwest to southeast. The concentrations of HCHs (α-, β-, γ-, δ-HCH) were in the range of 0.10-3.59 ng/g-dry weight (dw) and 1.56-50.69 ng/g-dw for DDTs (p, p´-DDE, p, p´-DDD, p, p´-DDT, o, p´-DDT). HCHs at the same site between surface and subsurface sediments show the similar quantity while DDTs concentrations show some differences, especially at the mouth sites. Compared with the level of HCHs in other areas, the concentrations in Quanzhou Bay are much lower than those in Alibagh Coast (India) and Northern Coast (Vietnam), but similar with other Asian estuaries. The level of DDTs is of the same order as those in the above estuaries. A general decreasing trend of HCHs and DDTs in sediments is found from the inner to outer sectors of the Quanzhou Bay. Sediment quality assessment reveals a middle-degree pollution presents in this area.