Incidence of organochlorine insecticides (DDT and heptachlor) in Bangladeshi dry fish: Seasonal trends and species variability

Abstract

The concentrations of organochlorine insecticides dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and heptachlor were investigated to estimate the current status of insecticides used in dry fish in different season and different species. Six most popular species of dry fishes namely Bombay duck (Loittya), Ribbon fish (Chhuri), Shrimp (Chingri), Hilsha shed (Ilish), Chinese pomfret (Rupchanda) and Indian salmon (Lakhua) were collected from Asadgonj (whole sell market for dry fish) of Chittagong, Bangladesh at different seasons, six samples at winter season (December) and six same samples at
rainy season (July). The range of DDT concentration at winter was found 5.588 ppb to 250.758 ppb and
at rainy season the range of concentration was found 11.054 ppb to 1107.427 ppb. The range of heptachlor concentration at winter was found to range from 0.401 to 2.480 ppb and at rainy season was found to range from 1.087 to 37.780 ppb. The concentrations of DDT and heptachlor were much higher in the samples of rainy season than those of the winter.