Organochlorine pesticides characteristics in water column of strategic drinking water sources in the Yangtze estuary

Biandansha, Qingcaosha and Meimaosha sands located respectively in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze （Changjiang River） estuary are regarded as strategic drinking water sources of Shanghai City. In the coming decade, the Qingcaosha Reservoir will first be built and gradually take the place of present water sources in the Huangpu River. However, there is little report on the occurrence of persistent organic pollutants （POPs） such as organochlorine pesticides （OCPs） in those strategic water sources. Water samples collected from those strategic water sources were filtered in-situ by Whatman GF/F filters in April 20-23, 2006. Pesticides in the filtrates were enriched on ENVI-18 solid phase extraction （SPE） tubes. OCPs eluted from SPE tubes were determined by GC-μECD method with a mixed standard solution of 20 OCPs compounds. Pentachloronitrobenzene was added as internal standard. Total concentrations of OCPs varied between 15.1 and 83.1 ng/L in water samples from Shanghai strategic water sources. A half of twenty objective OCPs compounds including DDTs were not detected. In Qingcaosha waters, there were six compounds such as a-HCH, dieldrin, endrin, endrin ketone, β-endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate. Total concentrations of these OCPs ranged from 15.1 to 31.6 ng/L and averaged 19.9 ng/L. OCPs had higher concentrations at low water tide than at high water tide, and in bottom water than in surface water. In Biandansha and Meimaosha waters, lindane （T-HCH） of 9.0 ng/L and γ-chlordane of 8.8 ng/L were found, respectively. There was no significant difference between total OCPs concentrations in surface water from Biandansha and Qingcaosha, which are much lower than those in the downstream Meimaosha waters.

Organochlorine pesticides characteristics in water column of strategic drinking water sources in the Yangtze estuary