Fate and Behavior of Organochlorine Pesticides in the Indonesian Tropical Climate: A Study in the Segara Anakan Estuarine Ecosystem

Abstract The fate and behavior of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the Segara Anakan Estuarine ecosystem was studied in the Indonesian tropical climate, which is characterized by heavy rainfall in the rainy season and low rainfall in the dry season. Since OCPs have high affinity for soil, a field study on the dissipation and degradation pattern of soil‐applied 1,1,1‐trichloro‐2,2‐bis (4‐chlorophenyl) ethane (p,p′‐DDT) and 1,1‐dichloro‐2,2‐bis (4‐chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p′‐DDE) as model OCPs was carried out. They occurred at a faster rate in the biphasic mode in wet conditions and at a slower rate in dry conditions. In wet conditions, the conversion from p,p′‐DDT to p,p′‐DDE and p,p′‐DDD (1,1‐dichloro‐2,2‐bis (4‐chlorophenyl) ethane) was governed by a parallel reaction. In dry conditions, only p,p′‐DDE was formed. The fate and behavior of OCPs in sediment estuary are similar to those in soil under wet conditions, except that their sorption‐desorption constants are influenced by estuarine surface water salinity. In the dry season, due to high salinity, the sediment acts as an OCP sink and a secondary source for the ecosystem, causes higher OCP concentration of local bio‐monitors, i. e., Geloina spp. and Mugil spp. In the rainy season, high water inflow washed the desorbed OCP pesticides out of the estuarine ecosystem, and caused lower concentrations of bio‐monitors. A risk evaluation for the uptake of OCP pesticides during the dry season suggests that adult fish meal consumers are safe, but risk management is required for pregnant woman.