Studies on persistent organic pollutants residue in water, sediment and fish tissues of river Sutlej, India

ABSTRACT

Aim: To study the level of persistent organic pollutants in the environment of River Sutlej and rule out its detrimental effects on aquatic fauna. Methodology: Two different sites were selected for the study, one was before the confluence of a polluted tributary (Site I) another was after the confluence of polluted tributary (Site II). Analysis of water, sediment, gills and muscles of selected fish species was done to detect the level of persistent organic pollutants using Gas Chromatography. Results: Among POP's, PCB-28 was detected during monsoon period(0.55 ng ul-1) at Site I, while as it was detected both during monsoon (0.65 ng ul-1) and post-monsoon (0.49 ng ul-1) period at Site II in the water samples. Similarly, PCB-28 was detected in gills of Cirrhinus mrigala during pre (0.26 ng g-1) and post-monsoon (0.27 ng g-1) periods at Site I, while at Site II it was detected only during monsoon period (0.17 ng g-1). In Aoricthysaor gills, only PCB-28 was detected during pre-monsoon (0.34 ng g-1) and monsoon periods (0.19 ng g-1) at Site II. In Heteropneustes fossilis PCB-28 was detected during pre-monsoon period (0.26 ng g-1) at Site I, while at Site II it was found during pre-monsoon (0.21 ng g-1) and monsoon (0.17 ng g-1) periods. In Catla Catla gill samples among PCB's only PCB-28 was detected during pre-monsoon (0.32 ng g-1), monsoon (0.29 ng g-1) and post-monsoon periods (0.24 ng g-1) at Site II while Mirex (0.01 ng g-1) was detected at Site I during post-monsoon period. Interpretation: The study concluded that continuous monitoring of pesticide residue is warranted in the river Sutlej to rule out any detrimental effect of pesticide pollution on aquatic fauna.