Ma. Matin et al., ORGANOCHLORINE INSECTICIDE RESIDUES IN SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND WATER FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS OF BANGLADESH, Agriculture, ecosystems & environment, 69(1), 1998, pp. 11-15
The use of organochlorine insecticides (except heptachlor) for all agr
icultural and public health purposes was banned in Bangladesh by late
1993, although stocks could be used after that time and emergency use
of limited quantities of DDT for plague control was permitted in 1994.
Water samples from the different regions of Bangladesh were studied f
or organochlorine insecticide residues (OCs) during 1992-1995, both be
fore and after the banning of the use of OCs. Packed column gas chroma
tographic (Electron Capture Detector mode) techniques were used and re
covery was checked by monitoring the extraction of radio-labelled comp
ounds with a Liquid Scintillation Counter. The results indicate slight
contamination of some of the water samples of both surface and underg
round sources with residues of DDT, heptachlor, lindane and dieldrin.
The majority of the samples, were found to be free from residues. Alth
ough use of heptachlor is allowed for specific purposes, its presence
in surface water and ground water at levels well above WHO-recommended
limits is a matter of concern. Appropriate remedial measures and syst
ematic surveillance of heptachlor and other OC residues in water resou
rces of the country are necessary to check further aggravation of the
situation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.