DDT and Other Organohalogen Pesticides in Aquatic Organisms

Abstract

This chapter reviews the tissue residue-effect data available for Organohalogen (OH) compounds measured frequently in tissues of fish and invertebrates. It also reviews some issues pertinent to interpreting tissue-residue data such as analytical methods, which have changed over time and are continuing to evolve. The chapter discusses factors important to the accumulation and elimination of OH compounds (toxicokinetics), modes of action relevant to the tissue-residue literature, and the importance of lipids and maternal transfer in understanding their toxicodynamics. The use of the toxic unit approach to predict the toxicity of mixtures of dichloro-diphenyl-trichlorethane, DDD, and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane in the tissues was validated using freshwater amphipods. The persistence in tissue, much higher concentrations in tissue compared to water, development of resistance, and an ability to travel long distances in aquatic systems also were noted early in their use. OH pesticides have characteristics such as high hydrophobicity and consequently tend to bind to, and concentrate in fatty tissues.