Profiles of organochlorine pesticides in earthworms from urban leisure areas of Beijing, China.

ABSTRACT

In this study, organochlorine pesticides (HCHs and DDTs) in earthworm and soil contacted closely with it were determined for the purpose of the risk assessment of chemicals in the urban leisure environment. The level of total hexachlorocyclohexanes and (HCHs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) in earthworms was 0.6500-44.78 ng g(-1) and 18.97-1.112 x 104 ng g(-1), respectively. Absolutely high levels of DDT and its metabolites in earthworm and correlative soils samples, and the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of DDTs probably presents certain risk to the higher trophic organisms through its food chain, especially birds.