Historical trends of organochlorine pesticides in a sediment core from the Gulf of Batabanó, Cuba

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 137; pp. 95 - 100
• Main Authors: Alonso-Hernández, C.M., Tolosa, I., Mesa-Albernas, M., Díaz-Asencio, M., Corcho-Alvarado, J.A., Sánchez-Cabeza, J.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2015
• Subjects: Aldrin; Cuba; DDT; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Gulf Batabano, Cuba, Caribbean sea; Gulfs; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - analysis; Management; Oceans and Seas; Organochlorine pesticides; Pesticides; Pesticides - analysis; POPs; Rivers - chemistry; Seawater - chemistry; Sediments; Strategy; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Watersheds; Cuba; ASW, Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles, Cuba; Gulf Batabano, Cuba, Caribbean sea; Organochlorine pesticides; POPs
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.05.044

•DDTs, Lindane, HCB, Heptachlor, Aldrin and Mirex were determined in a sediment core.•The core was dated by using the 210Pb and validated with the 239,240Pu fallout peak.•According to NOAA guidelines, pesticides encountered are low without adverse effect on organisms.•Recent application of DDTs and Lindano were detected in the area.
Sediments can be natural archives to reconstruct the history of pollutant inputs into coastal areas. This is important to improve management strategies and evaluate the success of pollution control measurements. In this work, the vertical distribution of organochlorine pesticides (DDTs, Lindane, HCB, Heptachlor, Aldrin and Mirex) was determined in a sediment core collected from the Gulf of Batabanó, Cuba, which was dated by using the 210Pb dating method and validated with the 239,240Pu fallout peak. Results showed significant changes in sediment accumulation during the last 40years: recent mass accumulation rates (0.321gcm−2yr−1) double those estimated before 1970 (0.15gcm−2yr−1). This change matches closely land use change in the region (intense deforestation and regulation of the Colon River in the late 1970s). Among pesticides, only DDTs isomers, Lindane and HCB were detected, and ranged from 0.029 to 0.374ngg−1 dw for DDTs, from<0.006 to 0.05ngg−1dw for Lindane and from<0.04 to 0.134ngg−1 dw for HCB. Heptachlor, Aldrin and Mirex were below the detection limits (∼0.003ngg−1), indicating that these compounds had a limited application in the Coloma watershed. Pesticide contamination was evident since the 1970s. DDTs and HCB records showed that management strategies, namely the banning the use of organochlorine contaminants, led to a concentration decline. However, Lindane, which was restricted in 1990, can still be found in the watershed. According to NOAA guidelines, pesticides concentrations encountered in these sediments are low and probably not having an adverse effect on sediment dwelling organisms.