Abstract:
Organochlorine pesticide in sediment samples were detected using Gas
Chromatography - Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD).The primary aim of this
study is to determine the species of organochlorine pesticide (OCP) and their
concentration in Terengganu River Estuarine sediment. The levels of contamination
of 16 species organochlorine pesticides such as HCHs, DDTs, aldrin, dieldrin and
endrin were determined in estuarine sediments along the Terengganu River Estuary in
Terengganu. The concentration of various pesticides in sediments from the mouth of
estuaries along the river were in the range of 0.01-1853095 ng/g (alpha-BHC), 0.0021669
ng/g (beta BHC), 0.0002-6048 ng/g (gamma-BHC), 0.0003-2422 ng/g (delta
BHC), 0.02-17874 ng/g (heptachlor), 0.01 - 49029 ng/g (aldrin), 0.004 - 9565 ng/g
(heptachlor epoxide isomer B), 0.002 - 69855 ng/g (endosulfan alpha), 0.01 11679280
ng/g
(dieldrin),
0.15
-
5972 ng/g (DDE), 0.28 - 8428 ng/g (endrin), 0.42 1899
(endosulfan
beta),
0.47
-
24132 ng/g (DOD), 0.5 - 2484 ng/g (endrin aldehyde),
0.14 - 4652 ng/g (endosulfan sulfate) and 21.5 - 29006 ng/g (DDT). Among the
organochlorine pesticides, dieldrin and gamma-BHC were most dominant in the
estuarine sediments. The highest concentration of dieldrin was estimated at station 2
near the mouth of Terengganu River estuary (11679280 ng/g) while that of gamma
BHC at the same station (6048 ng/g). Among the cyclodiene compounds, alpha-BHC
was in abundance in most of the sediments whereas DDT could be detected at the
smaller river channel.
