Organochlorine insecticide residues in agricultural soils of the Indo-Gangetic plain

Multiple residues of organochlorine insecticides were monitored in the agricultural fields near Farrukhabad in the vicinity of the River Ganga in northern India for one year (1991-1992). Almost all soil samples were found to be contaminated with residues of hexachlorocylohexane (HCH) and dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT). Residues of aldrin and endosulfan were also detected in a large number of samples. Heptachlor residues were scarcely detected. Alpha-HCH, pp'-DDT and alpha-endosulfan were found to dominate over the other isomers/metabolites of HCH, DDT and endosulfan, respectively. The average concentration of dieldrin was more than that of aldrin. The concentrations of residues progressively increased up to a depth of 1 m.