National Pesticide Monitoring Program: Organochlorine Residues in Freshwater Fish, 1976-79

摘要

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service measured organochlorine residues in 620 whole fish samples collected from 109 stations nationwide in 1976-79, as part of the National Pesticide Monitoring Program. During this period, residues of DDT and its homologs averaged significantly lower than they did before 1975. Contamination attributable to DDT manufacturing facilities was evident at sites in Alabama and Arkansas, and high residues at a site in the Southwest may reflect continuing use of DDT in Mexico. Dieldrin residues declined somewhat nationally, but remained high in Hawaii and in the Great Lakes. Residues of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) were more widely distributed than reported previously. Water Quality Criteria established by the National Academy of Sciences for the protection of piscivorous fishes and wildlife were exceeded (as they were in 1974) in more than half of the samples collected at about 75% of the stations.