Assessment of Argentinean Patagonia pollution: PBDEs, OCPs and PCBs in different matrices from the R¨ªo Negro basin

MIGLIORANZA, K.; GONZALEZ MARIANA; ONDARZA PAOLA; SHIMABUKURO VALERIA; ISLA, F.; FILLMAN, G.; AIZPUN DE MORENO, J.; MORENO, E.

journal of science of the total environment

Elsevier

Lugar: county clare; Año: 2012 p. 1 - 18

1879 1026

This  work  reports  the  occurrence  and distribution  of organochlorine pesticides  (OCPs), polychlorinatedbiphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soil, sediment, suspended particle matter(SPM), streamwater and macrophytes, along the R¨ªo Negro basin, Argentinean Patagonia. The clear predom-inance of OCPs among all matrices indicates the impact of agriculture on the watershed. The highest levelswere found for pp¡ä-DDE which represented up to 95% in agricultural soils (42.0¨C1.27 x 10 3 ng/g d.w) fromthe Upper Valley (upstream), where long and historical intensive fruit cultures have been settled and repre-sent a hot spot of legacy pesticides for the environment. The insecticide endosulfan, currently in use, was alsofound in all matrices. Levels ranged between 0.3 and 708.0 ng/g d.w, being the highest concentrations thoseof SPM from the Middle Valley, just before the delta area, where pesticides would be retained leading tolower concentrations as was observed downstream. PCB (#153, 138, 110, 101) and PBDE (BDE-47) levelswere directly related with the presence of hydroelectric power plants, dams and dumping sites, mainlysettled in the Upper Valley (0.8 ng/g and 15.1 ng/g d.w for PBDEs and PCBs, respectively). Although therewas a decreasing gradient of these pollutant concentrations through the river fl ow, downstream urbanareas enhanced PCB concentrations in the aquatic environment. More efforts and monitoring programs arehighly required to control and reduce soil erosion in order to prevent the availability of forbidden pollutantsin the environment.