Occurrence and Distribution of Hexachlorohexane (HCH) Concentration in Agricultural Soils in Albania Using Gas Chromatography

Abstract

Pesticides play an important role in agriculture to control or eliminate weeds, pests, insects and plant disease. Due to their wide usage in past years, pesticides are known as environmental pollutants. They can contaminate water, soil, biota and air. The objective of this study is to determine the occurrence and distribution of Hexachlorohexanes (HCH) isomers in soil samples. HCH are measured in soil samples collected from nine agricultural stations in Durres city in Albania. They are extracted using Soxhlet apparatus and Hexane as a solvent and analysed via GC–MS. The highest levels of HCH are detected in Station 8 due to the high agricultural activity in this area.