ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDE-RESIDUES IN MARINE SEDIMENT AND BIOTA FROM THE NORTHERN FLORIDA REEF TRACT

As part of a two-phased study, sediment and biota were collected from Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and Key Large National Marine Sanctuar y and analysed for organochlorine pesticide residues. Phase 1 consiste d of an inter-laboratory comparison using replicates of unspiked held samples. The five participating contract-laboratories differed in meth odology, detection limits and their ability to detect pesticides. The highest concentration of pesticide reported in Phase 1 samples was 4.4 ng g(-1) wet wt aldrin, found in a fillet of Haemulon plumieri. Based on the inter-laboratory comparison, one laboratory was selected to an alyse additional samples collected in Phase 2. Pesticides were detecte d in 43 of the 52 Phase 2 samples. The highest concentration reported in Phase 2 samples was 2.3 ng g(-1) alpha-BHC in Panulirus argus tail muscle. These results suggest that while most samples contained one or more residues, pesticide concentrations were low and trends in residu e profiles were minor.