Bioavailable DDT residues in sediments: laboratory assessment of ageing effects using semi-permeable membrane devices

Environ Pollut. 2008 May;153(1):110-8. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2007.07.017. Epub 2007 Sep 14.

Abstract

We describe the reduction in bioavailability of DDT in contaminated soil after it was incubated as sediment for 365 d. Bioavailability was assessed using semi-permeable membranes. Contaminated soils from three cattle dip sites, one spiked paired uncontaminated site, and one spiked OECD standard soil were studied. Sandy soil with residues of 1880 mg/kg summation operator DDT incurred since 1962, initially had 4.6% of summation operator DDT available, reducing to 0.6% following 365 d. Clay soil (1108 mg summation operator DDT/kg) had 4.1% initially available, reducing to 0.3% after 365 d. Freshly spiked soils had a greater amount of DDT initially available (10.9%), but this reduced to 1.5% by the end of the incubation. Of the DDT congeners, both o,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDD were most bioavailable in the soils, but also had the most significant decrease following incubation.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Biological Availability
  • Clay
  • DDT / analysis*
  • Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane / analysis
  • Ecology / methods
  • Pesticide Residues / analysis*
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • Soil / analysis*
  • Soil Pollutants / analysis*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • Pesticide Residues
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • DDT
  • Clay
  • Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane