Local organochlorine pesticide concentrations in soil put into a global perspective

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 217; pp. 11 - 18
• Main Authors: Camenzuli, Louise, Scheringer, Martin, Hungerbühler, Konrad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2016
• Subjects: agricultural soils; Agriculture - trends; DDE (pesticide); DDT (pesticide); DDT - analysis; DDT - supply & distribution; environmental fate; Environmental Pollution - analysis; HCH (pesticide); hexachlorobenzene; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - analysis; Internationality; lindane; Models, Statistical; Pesticides; Pesticides - analysis; POPs; Soil; Soil - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - analysis; spray drift; statistical analysis; Stockholm convention; Time trend; Soil; Time trend; Stockholm convention; POPs; Pesticides
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.08.028

In this work, agricultural and background soil concentrations of p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDE, HCB, α-, β- and γ-HCH from 1993 to 2012 were collected from 73 peer-reviewed publications, and analysed statistically. For the period 2003–2012 and for all chemicals, the mean concentration in agricultural soil is significantly higher than the concentration in background soil. In addition to the statistical analysis, concentrations of p,p′-DDT and α-HCH in soils were calculated with a global environmental fate and transport model. A decrease in the mean soil concentration from the first decade to the second was observed with the model, but this decrease is not visible in the measured concentrations, which could result from ongoing use of p,p′-DDT and α-HCH Furthermore, modelled background soil concentrations are generally lower than measurements. This implies that background soil may have received p,p′-DDT and α-HCH through additional routes not described by the model such as spray drift. •Collation of soil measurements of DDT, HCH and HCB globally from 1993 to 2012.•Time trends of p,p′-DDT and α-HCH modelled in background and agricultural soil.•Decrease in modelled soil concentration not observed in measurements.•Possible ongoing use of p,p′-DDT and α-HCH. Global data on organochlorine pesticides in soils do not show decrease over the last 20 years.