By: Monawwar Saleem
Abstract
A survey of sixteen organochlorine pesticides (OCP’s) was conducted for their contamination status and spatial distributions in coastal waters of Karachi and four cities of Balochistan. Thirty nine surface seawater samples were collected from the Karachi coast (Karachi west coast and off-Clifton), creeks of Karachi (Gizri, Korangi and Gharo creeks) and four Balochistan coastal cities (Jiwani, Gwadar, Pasni and Ormara). DDT, HCH and its metabolites were found most dominating while Endrin, Dieldrin and Aldrin aldehyde were recorded higher among the 16 monitored pesticides in Karachi and Balochistan coastal waters. The present results were compared with water quality criteria as set by USA-EPA, which shows that OCPsin Balochistan and Karachi coastal waters were found under the limits. Results of some of these pesticide concentrations (i.e. Heptachlor epoxide, Endrin, Dieldrin and Endosulfan I & II) from the Karachi coast are found close to chronic levels for marine organisms when compared to marine water quality criteria set by New-Jersey State, USA. 
The diagnostic ratio of DDT and HCH metabolites shows that HCH is still being used around the study area, while DDT is currently used in Jiwani, Gwadar and Pasni coastal areas. A survey indicates that the chlorinated pesticides in the studied coastal areas are still very low except in the Off-Clifton coast and western coastal waters of Karachi, which is mostly domestic and industrial originated.
Author Information:
Monawwar Saleem, Arshad Ali Khan, Muhammad Qammaruddin, Syed Waseem Haider, Sanober Kahkashan, Syed Imran Hasany, Javed Aftab, Mohsin Muzaffar
National Institute of Oceanography, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan
Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Key words: Organochlorine pesticides, Karachi coast, Balochistan coast, Korangi, Gharo and Gizri creek.
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