PCBS AND ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES IN KRILL, BIRDS AND WATER FROM ANTARCTICA

The concentration levels of various congeners of PCBs and organochlori ne pesticides were determined in krill, bird (emperor penguin) feather s and polynya water from different places around Dakshin Gangotri, Ant arctica. t-HCH (alpha + gamma isomers) was found to be present in cons iderable amounts in krill (141.3-164.3 pg g(-1)) but much less in peng uin feathers (103.6-112.8 pg g(-1)) and polynya water (85.690.7 pg l(- 1)). t-DDT (pp'-DDT + op'-DDT + pp'-DDE + op'-DDE) was detected in the range 31.1-44.4 pg g(-1) in krill, 30.8-35.7 pg g(-1) in the feathers and 24.8-26.5 pg l(-1) in polynya water. A few congeners of PCBs were identified and quantified in all the samples, e.g. CB-101, CB-136, CB -151, CB-118, CB-153, CB-138. The concentration levels of PCBs in diff erent samples are in the range 146.9-166.2 pg g(-1) in krill, 105.8-11 3.6 pg g(-1) in penguin feathers, and 96.8-103.8 pg l(-1) in polynya w ater.