Pesticides in Sediments From Queensland Irrigation Channels and Drains

Pesticide concentration in sediment from irrigation areas can provide information required to assess exposure and fate of these chemicals in freshwater ecosystems and their likely impacts to the marine environment. In this study, 103 sediment samples collected from irrigation channels and drains in 11 agricultural areas of Queensland were analysed for a series of past and presently used pesticides including various organochlorines, synthetic pyrethroids, benzoyl ureas, triazines and organophosphates. The most often detected compounds were endosulphans (, β and/or endosulphan sulphate) which were detectable in 78 of the 103 samples and levels ranged from below the limit of quantification (0.1 ng g⁻¹ dw) up to 840 ng g⁻¹ dw. DDT and its metabolites were the second most often detected pesticide investigated (74 of the 103 samples) with concentrations up to 240 ng g⁻¹ dw of ∑DDTs. Mean ∑endosulphan and ∑DDT concentrations were 1–2 orders of magnitude higher in sediments from the irrigation areas which are dominated by cotton cultivation compared to those which are dominated by sugarcane cultivation. In contrast to these insecticides, the herbicides diuron, atrazine and ametryn were the compounds which were most often detected in sediments from irrigation drains in sugarcane areas with maximum concentrations in areas of 120, 70 and 130 ng g⁻¹ dw, respectively. In particular during flood events, when light is limiting, transport of these photosynthesis inhibiting herbicides from the sugarcane cultivation areas to the marine environment may result in additional stress of marine plants.     

Quantifying the sources of pollutants in the Great Barrier Reef catchments and the relative risk to reef ecosystems

Development of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchments in the last 150 years has increased the loads of suspended sediment, nutrients and pesticides ('pollutants') delivered to the GBR. The scale and type of development, the pollutants generated and the ecosystems offshore vary regionally. We analysed the relative risk of pollutants from agricultural land uses and identified the sources of these pollutants from different land uses for each region to develop priorities for management. The assessment showed the Wet Tropics and Mackay Whitsunday regions to be of relatively high risk dominated by sugarcane cultivation, contributing pesticide and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). The Burdekin and Fitzroy ranked medium-high risk dominated by grazing suspended sediment inputs for both, and additionally sugarcane DIN and pesticide inputs for the Burdekin. The Burnett Mary ranked medium risk, dominated by grazing and sugarcane. Cape York was not formally ranked but is considered to be low risk.     

Field accumulative behavior of organochlorine pesticides. The role of crabs and sediment characteristics in coastal environments

The influence of intertidal crab beds on the concentrations of organochlorine (OC) pesticides in sediment was studied in two different coastal environments in Argentina. Samples of male burrowing crabs (Chasmagnathus granulatus) were collected for this study. Our field data showed lower bioaccumulation of OC pesticides in crabs from sediments with a higher total organic carbon (TOC) and higher clay content. Thus, concentrations in crabs depend on the physico-chemical characteristics of the sediment where they live more than on the OC pesticide concentrations in the environment. The distribution patterns in sediment from inside and outside crab burrows were similar for both coastal areas being HCHs  γ-chlordane > p,p′-DDE for San Antonio Bay (SAO), and HCHs > p,p′-DDE  γ-chlordane for Mar Chiquita (MCh) coastal lagoon. OC pesticide concentrations in sediment were significantly lower inside than outside crab burrows, irrespective of the sediment physico-chemical characteristics due to the bioturbation activity of C. granulatus.     

Investigation of the mud crab (Scylla serrata) as a potential bio-monitoring species for tropical coastal marine environments of Australia

Mud crabs, Scylla serrata, were sampled from four estuaries (the Normanby, Herbert, Burdekin and Fitzroy Rivers) along the coast of northern Queensland, Australia, representing a pollution gradient from low to high contamination based upon previous chemical monitoring. Four biomarkers; glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity, cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition and the urinary metabolite concentrations of naphthalene (NPH) and benzo-a-pyrene (BaP) were evaluated in S. serrata hepatopancreas, haemolymph and urine. Site-specific evidence of elevated GST activity and BaP metabolite concentrations and significant ChE inhibition was detected. Biomarker responses from this field study provide evidence of contaminant exposure of S. serrata from river estuaries along the coast of northern Queensland and indicate that further investigation is warranted. Based on the current results, and with further work on characterising the dose-response and seasonal variation in this species, mud crabs have great potential as indicator species for water quality and ecosystem monitoring programs across tropical coastal regions of Australia.     

Evidence for polychlorinated biphenyls dechlorination in the sediments of Sado Estuary, Portugal

Sediment gravity cores and grab samples were collected in the Sado Estuary and in its coastal area. The cores were sliced on board and the percentage of weight loss on ignition was determined in the laboratory, and analysed for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners. PCB contents were higher in samples from the North Channel of the estuary, nearby the industrial zone (max. 114 ng g-1 dry weight), while levels in the coastal area were lower than 4.9 ng g-1. The concentrations of the quantified congeners varied irregularly with sediment depth in the estuary, but showed two opposite distribution patterns in cores from the coastal area: the proportions of lower chlorinated congeners increased with depth, while congeners with higher number of chlorines decreased. This suggests a dechlorination of the most chlorinated congeners into less toxic compounds, under reductive conditions of the sediment. Though measurements were done in natural environment it appears that dechlorination was not entirely dependent on chlorine position in the phenyl rings.     

Environmental fate of fungicides and other current-use pesticides in a central California estuary

The current study documents the fate of current-use pesticides in an agriculturally-dominated central California coastal estuary by focusing on the occurrence in water, sediment and tissue of resident aquatic organisms. Three fungicides (azoxystrobin, boscalid, and pyraclostrobin), one herbicide (propyzamide) and two organophosphate insecticides (chlorpyrifos and diazinon) were detected frequently. Dissolved pesticide concentrations in the estuary corresponded to the timing of application while bed sediment pesticide concentrations correlated with the distance from potential sources. Fungicides and insecticides were detected frequently in fish and invertebrates collected near the mouth of the estuary and the contaminant profiles differed from the sediment and water collected. This is the first study to document the occurrence of many current-use pesticides, including fungicides, in tissue. Limited information is available on the uptake, accumulation and effects of current-use pesticides on non-target organisms. Additional data are needed to understand the impacts of pesticides, especially in small agriculturally-dominated estuaries.     

Pesticide and Herbicide Residues in Sediments and Seagrasses from the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and Queensland Coast

Pesticides and herbicides including organochlorine compounds have had extensive current and past application by Queensland's intensive coastal agriculture industry as well as for a wide range of domestic, public health and agricultural purposes in urban areas. The persistent nature of these types of compounds together with possible continued illegal use of banned organochlorine compounds raises the potential for continued long-term chronic exposure to plants and animals of the Great Barrier Reef. Sediment and seagrass samples were collected from 16 intertidal and 25 subtidal sampling sites between Torres Strait and Townsville, near Mackay and Gladstone, and in Hervey and Moreton Bays in 1997 and 1998 and analysed for pesticide and herbicide residues. Low levels of atrazine (0.1–0.3 μg kg⁻¹), diuron (0.2–10.1 μg kg⁻¹), lindane (0.08–0.19 μg kg⁻¹), dieldrin (0.05–0.37 μg kg⁻¹), DDT (0.05–0.26 μg kg⁻¹), and DDE (0.05–0.26 μg kg⁻¹) were detected in sediments and/or seagrasses. Contaminants were mainly detected in samples collected along the high rainfall, tropical coast between Townsville and Port Douglas and in Moreton Bay. Of the contaminants detected, the herbicide diuron is of most concern as the concentrations detected have some potential to impact local seagrass communities.     

Pu, Cs and excess Pb in Russian Arctic sediments

The activity ratios of Pu and radiocesium isotopes have been used to delineate the major sources (such as global and close-in (debris) fallout, nuclear fuel reprocessing and fabrication plant effluents) in the environment. We have measured ²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu, ¹³⁷Cs, and excess ²¹⁰Pb concentrations in 107 surficial sediments as well as in 5 sediment cores collected in the summer months of 1993 and 1994 from the Ob and Yenisey Rivers (Russia) and the Kara sea. A comparison of the sediment core inventories of ^239,240Pu and ¹³⁷Cs, along with the ²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu activity ratios, with those expected from global fallout allows us to estimate the relative amounts, if any, of reactor-derived ²³⁸Pu and ^239,240Pu from the dumped reactor sites in the study area.

In surficial sediment samples collected in 1993 and 1994, the ^239,240Pu concentrations varied between 4.2 and 856 mBq kg⁻¹, with a mean of 239 mBq kg⁻¹. In samples with a measurable ²³⁸Pu, the ²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu activity ratios varied between 0.010 and 0.069, with an average value of 0.035 ± 0.014. This range can be compared to the average ²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu activity ratio of 0.030 for the year 1993 from nuclear weapons testing and SNAP fallout obtained from soil studies, indicating very little (≤ 5%) additional sources of ²³⁸Pu to the sediments in the study area. The inventories of Pu in the 5 sediment cores from the study area varied between 2.67 ± 0.67 and 24.5 ± 2.2 Bq m⁻² with a mean value of 8.83 Bq m⁻². The ¹³⁷Cs concentrations in the upper 3 cm of the sediments varied between below detection limit to 71.4 Bq kg⁻¹, with a mean of 14.9 Bq kg⁻¹. The ¹³⁷Cs inventories in the 5 sediment cores varied between 156.7 ± 28.3 and 1600 ± 153.3 Bq m⁻², with a mean value of 583.3 Bq m⁻². The mean ratio of inventories of Pu to that of ¹³⁷Cs, 0.015, is comparable to the values in other places in the Arctic region. There is a significant correlation between total organic carbon and concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs, ^239,240Pu and ²¹⁰Pb, suggesting that organic matter-enriched fine particles are a likely carrier phase for these nuclides. The ratio of ¹³⁷Cs/^239,240Pu also suggests that most of these nuclides are derived from global fallout.     

Organochlorine pesticide residues in sediments and biota from the coastal area of Dar es Salaam city,Tanzania

Sediment and biota samples were collected from Msimbazi and Kizinga rivers and from the coastal marine environment of Dar es Salaam during both dry and wet seasons. The samples were analyzed for various organochlorine pesticide residues using GC-ECD and GC-MS. Dieldrin, p,p^′-DDT, p,p^′-DDE, p,p^′-DDD, o,p^′-DDT and γ-HCH were detected at significantly greater concentrations above the method detection limits. Recoveries of pesticide residues ranged 86.5–120% in sediments and 62–102% in biota. The average concentrations of total DDT in sediments for the two seasons were almost the same. Biota samples showed significant difference in levels of residues depending on mode of feeding and age of analyzed biota. p,p^′-DDT to total DDT ratios in all matrices indicated recent use of DDT. The levels of residues in sediments suggest possible adverse effects to humans consuming biota that are directly exposed to the sediments. This effect, which is associated with bio-concentration of residues in the tissues of edible aquatic biota, should not affect wildlife. In spite of concern on the adverse effect to humans posed by pesticide residues in sediments, edible biota from the examined water bodies were found to be safe for human consumption.     

Nutrient loss and water quality under extensive grazing in the upper Burdekin river catchment, North Queensland

Increased sediment and nutrient losses resulting from unsustainable grazing management in the Burdekin River catchment are major threats to water quality in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. To test the effects of grazing management on soil and nutrient loss, five 1 ha mini-catchments were established in 1999 under different grazing strategies on a sedimentary landscape near Charters Towers. Reference samples were also collected from watercourses in the Burdekin catchment during major flow events. Soil and nutrient loss were relatively low across all grazing strategies due to a combination of good cover, low slope and low rainfall intensities. Total soil loss varied from 3 to 20 kg ha(-1) per event while losses of N and P ranged from 10 to 1900 g ha(-1) and from 1 to 71 g ha(-1) per event respectively. Water quality of runoff was considered moderate across all strategies with relatively low levels of total suspended sediment (range: 8-1409 mg l(-1)), total N (range: 101-4000 microg l(-1)) and total P (range: 14-609 microg l(-1)). However, treatment differences are likely to emerge with time as the impacts of the different grazing strategies on land condition become more apparent. Samples collected opportunistically from rivers and creeks during flow events displayed significantly higher levels of total suspended sediment (range: 10-6010 mg l(-1)), total N (range: 650-6350 microg l(-1)) and total P (range: 50-1500 microg l(-1)) than those collected at the grazing trial. These differences can largely be attributed to variation in slope, geology and cover between the grazing trial and different catchments. In particular, watercourses draining hillier, grano-diorite landscapes with low cover had markedly higher sediment and nutrient loads compared to those draining flatter, sedimentary landscapes. These preliminary data suggest that on relatively flat, sedimentary landscapes, extensive cattle grazing is compatible with achieving water quality targets, provided high levels of ground cover are maintained. In contrast, sediment and nutrient loss under grazing on more erodable land types is cause for serious concern. Long-term empirical research and monitoring will be essential to quantify the impacts of changed land management on water quality in the spatially and temporally variable Burdekin River catchment.     

Trace contaminant concentrations in the Kara Sea and its adjacent rivers, Russia.

Trace organic (chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, PAHs and dioxins/furans) and trace metal concentrations were measured in surficial sediment and biological tissues (i.e., worms, crustaceans, bivalve molluscs, and fish livers) collected from the Russian Arctic. Total DDT, chlordane, PCB and PAH concentrations ranged from ND to 1.2, ND to <0.1, ND to 1.5 and <20-810 ng g(-1), respectively, in a suite of 40 surficial sediment samples from the Kara Sea and the adjacent Ob and Yenisey Rivers. High sedimentary concentrations of contaminants were found in the lower part of the Yenisey River below the salt wedge. Total dioxins/furans were analysed in a subset of 20 sediment samples and ranged from 1.4 to 410 pg g(-1). The highest trace organic contaminant concentrations were found in organisms, particularly fish livers. Concentrations as high as 89 ng g(-1) chlordane; 1010 ng g(-1) total DDTs; 460 ng g(-1) total PCBs; and 1110 ng g(-1) total PAH, were detected. A subset of 11 tissue samples was analysed for dioxins and furans with total concentrations ranging from 12 to 61 pg g(-1). Concentrations of many trace organic and metal contaminants in the Kara Sea appear to originate from riverine sources and atmospheric transport from more temperate areas. Most organic contaminant concentrations in sediments were low; however, contaminants are being concentrated in organisms and may pose a health hazard for inhabitants of coastal villages.     

Assessment of persistent organochlorine pollutants in sediments from Lake Manzala, Egypt

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in surface and core sediment samples collected from Manzala Lake, the largest of the Egyptian coastal lakes. Total concentrations of OCPs and ∑7 PCBs (ICES) in sediments ranged from 0.63 to 31.31 ng/g and 0.26 to 31.27 ng/g, respectively. Geographical distribution indicates that levels of contaminants were significantly higher in areas which are mainly influenced by municipal discharge, indicating significant sources of these compounds in urbanised areas. The composition of DDT and its metabolites suggest old input of DDT. The levels of contaminants in Manzala Lake were similar or lower than those observed in comparable areas worldwide. The profiles of ∑OCPs and ∑PCBs in a core from a site heavily impacted by sewage discharge have highest concentrations in the surface core section indicating recent inputs. Assessment of ecotoxicological risk indicated that sediments in two sites were likely to pose potential biological adverse impact.     

Composition and distribution of organochlorine pesticide residues in surface sediments from the Wu-Shi River Estuary,Taiwan

The contamination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediments from the Wu-Shi River estuary was investigated to evaluate the pollution potentials and distribution of OCPs in central Taiwan. A total of 19 sediment samples were collected at five sampling stations along the River estuary. The concentrations of OCPs were in the range of 0.99–14.5 ng/g-dry weight (dw) for ΣHCH (-, β-, γ-, δ-HCH), 0.46–13.4 ng/g-dw for Σcyclodiene and 0.53–11.4 ng/g-dw for ΣDDT (p,p^′-DDD, p,p^′-DDE, p,p^′-DDT). The mean concentrations of ΣHCH, Σcyclodiene and ΣDDT were 3.79, 4.87 and 2.51 ng/g-dw, respectively. The total concentrations of OCPs correspond to 1.73–71.9 μg/g-OC when normalized to TOC contents. Among the organochlorine pesticides, endosulfan sulfate, β-HCH, and p,p^′-DDD were the most dominant compounds in the sediments with the average concentrations of 1.97, 3.43 and 2.08 ng/g, respectively. Also, different contamination patterns among sampling seasons were observed. The measured concentrations of OCPs collected in spring were higher than those in autumn and winter. A linear relationship between sediment characteristics and OCP residues was also demonstrated. The results obtained in this study show that there still exist a variety of organochlorine pesticide residues in the sediments from the near shore of central Taiwan.     

A sediment budget for a cultivated floodplain in tropical North Queensland,Australia

Sugarcane is grown on the floodplains of northern Queensland adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. Sediment and nutrient loss from these sugarcane areas is considered a potential threat to coastal and marine ecosystems. To enable sugarcane cultivation, farmers have structured the landscape into different elements, comprising fields, water furrows, ‘headlands’ and drains. In order to apply appropriate management of the landscape and reduce export of sediment, it is important to identify which of these elements act as sediment sources or sinks. In this study erosion and deposition rates were measured for the different landscape elements in a subcatchment of the Herbert River and used to create a sediment budget. Despite large uncertainties, the budget shows that the floodplain area is a net source of sediment. Estimated sediment export varies between 2 and 5 t ha^?1 y^?1. The relative importance of the landscape elements as sediment sources could also be determined. Plant cane is identified as the most important sediment source. Water furrows generate most sediment, but are a less important source of exported sediment due to their low connectivity. Headlands and minor drains act as sediment traps. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reconstruction of pollution history of organic contaminants in the upper Gulf of Thailand by using sediment cores: first report from Tropical Asia Core (TACO) project

This paper reports the first reconstruction of a pollution history in tropical Asia from sediment cores. Four sediment core samples were collected from an offshore transect in the upper Gulf of Thailand and were analyzed for organic micropollutants. The cores were dated by measurement of (137)Cs and geochronometric molecular markers (linear alkylbenzenes, LABs; and tetrapropylene-type alkylbenzenes, TABs). Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations showed a subsurface maximum in layers corresponding to the 1970s, indicating the effectiveness of regulation of PCBs in Thailand. LAB concentrations increased over time, indicating the increase in input of sewage into the Gulf during the last 30 years. Hopanes, biomarkers of petroleum pollution, also increased over time, indicating that the inputs of automobile-derived hydrocarbons to the coastal zone has been increasing owing to the increased number of cars in Thailand since the 1950s. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) increased in the layers corresponding to the 1950s and 1960s, probably because of the increased inputs of automobile-derived PAHs. PAH concentrations in the upper layers corresponding to the 1970s and later remained constant or increased. The absence of a subsurface maximum of PAHs contrasts with results observed in industrialized countries. This can be explained by the facts that the Thai economy did not depend on coal as an energy source in the 1960s and that economic growth has continued since the 1970s to the present. The deposition flux of PAHs and hopanes showed a dramatic offshore decrease, whereas that of LABs was uniform.     

TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF PAHS AND PCBS IN LAKE CALUMET AREA, CHICAGO

1 INTRODUCTION Lake Calumet is located 15 miles southeast of downtown Chicago. The geographical boundaries include 130th Street to the south, Stony Island Avenue to the east, an industrial area to the north, and interstate highway I-94 to the west. The major continuous water inflow to the lake is Pullman Creek, a drainage ditch, which carries the runoff from the nearby expressway, industries, and landfills into the lake at the northwest corner. The outlet of the Lake is the Calumet R…     

Risks posed by trace organic contaminants in coastal sediments in the Pearl River Delta, China

Local marine environments in China's Pearl River Delta (PRD), the most rapidly developing region in one of the world's fastest growing economies, have been experiencing significant environmental stress during the past decades. This investigation was conducted to determine the status and trends of persistence organic pollutants (POPs) such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine (OC) pesticides and dioxin-related compounds in marine sediments collected from sixteen coastal stations in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) in March 2003. Elevated concentrations of PAHs (94-4300 ng/g), PCBs (6.0-290 ng/g), PHCs (14-150 microg/g), and DDTs (1.4-600 ng/g) were detected in sediment samples. In addition, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-like activities in the sediment samples were estimated to range from 0.3 to 440 pg TCDD-EQ/g. Sediments collected from Xiashan contained the greatest concentrations of trace organic contaminations amongst all the sampling stations in the present study. The degree of trace organic contamination was, in general, more severe at stations situated along the west shores of the PRD than their counterparts in the east. A preliminary assessment was performed to examine the probable risks to the marine ecosystem due to POPs. The results showed that OC pesticide contamination in the PRD was particularly serious and might pose a threat to the health of the marine inhabitants.     

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in marine sediments along the Belgian coast

Plastic debris is known to undergo fragmentation at sea, which leads to the formation of microscopic particles of plastic; the so called ‘microplastics’. Due to their buoyant and persistent properties, these microplastics have the potential to become widely dispersed in the marine environment through hydrodynamic processes and ocean currents. In this study, the occurrence and distribution of microplastics was investigated in Belgian marine sediments from different locations (coastal harbours, beaches and sublittoral areas).Particles were found in large numbers in all samples, showing the wide distribution of microplastics in Belgian coastal waters. The highest concentrations were found in the harbours where total microplastic concentrations of up to 390 particles kg⁻¹ dry sediment were observed, which is 15-50 times higher than reported maximum concentrations of other, similar study areas.The depth profile of sediment cores suggested that microplastic concentrations on the beaches reflect the global plastic production increase.     

PCBs in Central Vietnam coastal lagoons: levels and trends in dynamic environments

PCBs were analysed in surficial sediments and selected sediment cores collected between 2002 and 2008 in Central Vietnam coastal lagoons. The aim was to determine contamination levels and trends, and to evaluate the effects of anthropogenic pressures and natural events. Samples were mostly fine-grained with low total PCB concentrations (0.367-44.7 μg kg⁻¹). Atmospheric transport and post depositional processes modify to some degree the fingerprint of PCB inputs to the environment favouring the predominance of 3, 4 and 5 chlorinated congeners. The similarity of congener distributions in contemporary surficial samples also suggests the presence of a unique source over the entire study area, probably connected to mobilisation and long range transports from land-based stocks. The removal of consistent sediment layers is hypothesised based on repeated samplings of the same area. Natural meteorological events (such as typhoons) are suspected to be responsible for these sediment losses.     

Levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons and trace metals in bivalves and nearshore sediments from the Dominican Republic

Bivalves (Crassostrea rizhophorae, Isognomon alatus, Codakia orbicularis Linné, and Tellina fausta) and sediment samples collected from 12 locations along the Dominican Republic coastline were used to assess the degree of nearshore contamination by selected chlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Concentrations of total chlordanes, DDTs and PCBs ranged from 0.51 to 7.47 ng/g, < MDL to 30.9 ng/g and 11.3 to 82.3 ng/g, and from < MDL to 1.73 ng/g, 0.21 to 12.5 ng/g and 0.46 to 41.9 ng/g in bivalves and surface sediments, respectively. The concentration ranges of predominantly anthropogenic Cu, Pb and Zn were 3.08–866 μg/g, 0.08–1.46 μg/g and 22.9–4380 μg/g in bivalve soft parts and 1.01–111 mg/g, 0.420–134 μg/g and 1.96–277 μg/g in surface sediments, respectively. Mercury concentrations ranged from 0.290 to 7.02 μg/g and from 0.096 to 0.565 μg/g in both matrices. The relatively high Hg concentrations found in bivalves from two stations in Bahia Samana, near to a known source of past Hg contamination in the sediments, require a more in-depth survey of the area. In general the concentrations of selected chlorinated hydrocarbons and trace metals, compared with those reported for the same matrices in the Caribbean and west Atlantic coastal areas, show at present the existence of only very localized contamination problems in the Dominican Republic.