Residues of Organochlorine Pesticides in Fish from the Gomti River, India

This study reports the levels and distribution patterns of some organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in fish samples of the Gomti river, India, collected from three sites. In the fish muscles [summation operator]OCPs ranged between 2.58-22.56 ng g-¹ (mean value: 9.66 ± 5.60 ng g-¹). Neither spatial nor temporal trends could be observed in distribution of the OCPs. Aldrin was the predominant OCP, whereas, HCB and methoxychlor could not be detected. α-HCH and β-HCH among the isomers of HCH and pp-DDE among the metabolites of DDT were the most frequently detected OCPs. The results revealed that the fish of the Gomti river are contaminated with various OCPs.