Accumulation and Persistence of DDT in a Lotic Ecosystem

Abstract

DDT persisted in streams of several small watersheds in Maine for at least 10 years following light applications to the forest. Residues declined sharply within 2 or 3 years after application, but after 10 years were still well above concentrations detected in untreated streams. This was true of all components studied: muds, plants, invertebrates, fish, and fish-eating birds. The prolonged persistence led to cumulative residue levels in streams sprayed more than once. Concentration of residues through the food chain was evident.

Persistence of polychlorinated biphenyls and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE) with age in lake trout after 8 years

“…The slow conversion of DDT to DDE in water has also been shown (29). DDT has been found to decrease slowly but only over a matter of years in fish (30), crayfish (31), and aquatic ecosystems (32). The toxicity of DDT to fish is inversely proportional to their size (33,34).…”

THE EFFECTS OF ZECTRAN ON THE PARASITOIDS OF THE SPRUCE BUDWORM, CHORISTONEURA FUMIFERANA (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE)

“…1973). Some areas have received up to three applications of DDT between 1954(Dimond et al 1971. In quests for DDT substitutes, malathion was tested in 1964 (Dimond 1967), Zectran in 1967 and (Coughlin 1971), fenitrothion (Accothion) in 1970 (Nash et al 1971), and Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner in 1963 (Klein and Lewis 1966), in 1972 (Dimond 1972), and in 1973 (Dimond 1974).…”

Pesticide Residues in Soil and Water

“…and reported that insecticides virtually disappeared from water within 24 hours. Several other workers have reported much larger residues in mud than in the water above it (Simmons, 1945;Dimond et al, 1971;Miles and Harris, 1971;Rowe et al, 1971). There seems little doubt that just as some soils can adsorb more pesticides than others, so some types of mud bottom can bind more pesticide.…”

“…Nevertheless, residues persist in the bottom mud for a long time. For instance, Dimond et al (1971) showed that DDT persisted in small streams for 10 years after a single application.…”