DETERMINATION OF ENDOSULFANS IN SOIL SEDIMENT SAMPLES FROM POINT MUGU, OXNARD, CA USING CAPILLARY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SELECTIVE DETECTION (GC/MSD)/

The extent of contamination by endosulfans in soil samples collected f rom the Point Mugu watershed near Oxnard, California was determined us ing capillary gas chromatography/mass selective detection (GC/MSD). Th e study was designed to detect three organochlorinated pesticides: end osulfan alpha, endosulfan beta and endosulfan sulfate. Thirteen sets o f two soil samples each were taken from various sites in the region. O ur results show that the endosulfan levels in these soils range from t race amounts to nearly 30 ppm, with endosulfan alpha being the most ab undant and endosulfan sulfate the least. Two sites of the study, Huene me and Revolon and Farm and Revolon, showed high amounts of endosulfan s alpha and beta, with concentrations between 20 and 30 ppm. The major ity of the other sites studied in this research produced concentration s of less than 10 ppm for each of the three endosulfans monitored. At five areas in particular, Pleasant Valley and Creek, Laguna and Creek, Etting and Creek, Road and Creek and Hueneme and Creek, less than 2 p pm or only trace amounts of endosulfans alpha, beta and sulfate were d etected.