Status, distribution and ecological risk of organochlorines (OCs) in the surface sediments from the Ravi River, Pakistan

Organochlorines (OCs) including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) were analyzed in surface sediments from the Ravi River, Punjab, Pakistan. Among the OCPs, hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDTs) and chlordane (cis- and trans-) were most abundant and their concentrations were ranged from n.d to 16.0ngg−1, 1.5 to 58.5ngg−1 and n.d to 29.0ngg−1, respectively. Concentrations of Σ31PCBs ranged from 4.6 to 424.3ngg−1 with a mean value of 48.9ngg−1. In general, the concentrations of all studied organochlorines (OCs) in sediments collected from the sampling sites in the vicinity of industrial areas were higher than those from the agricultural areas. Compositional analyses of PCBs indicated that penta- and tetra-PCBs homologues were dominant which was consistent with the previous studies. Compared with other areas around the world, levels of OCs in sediments from the Ravi River were within the range, but were found to be much higher than previously reported from Pakistan. According to established sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), screening-level risk assessment of OCPs and PCBs suggested that they have a potential for adverse effects on benthic organisms. •The first study to report OCPs & PCBs levels in sediment of the Ravi River, Pakistan•OCPs and PCBs from industrial sites were found higher than those from agricultural sites•Risk assessment suggesting a potential for adverse effects on benthic organisms caused by OCs