Organochlorine Pesticides in Freshwater Fish from the Zagreb Area

The aim of this study was to determine the level of organochlorine pesticides in freshwater fish from the Zagreb area, Croatia. The study included 215 freshwater fish samples from three sites: the Sava River, Lake Jarun, and five fishponds from the Zagreb surroundings. Organochlorine pesticides DDT and derivates, HCH, HCB, lindane, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor with epoxide, and methoxychlor were determined using the GC-ECD method. The determined amounts of organochlorine pesticides were within allowed concentration limits in all analysed fish samples. Median values ranged from below the detection limit of 0.01 μg kg-1 for dieldrin and metoxychlor to 2.00 μg kg-1 for DDT in the Cyprinidae fish family from the Sava River, Zagreb sampling site (group 1).

This study has confirmed pesticide persistence in the overall ecosystem in our country despite the ban of some thirty years ago, like in many other parts of the world.