The status of persistent organic pollutants in Lake Victoria catchment. proc.

Abstract

The use of most organochlorine pesticides has been banned or restricted in the republic of Kenya under the Rotterdam and Stockholm convention due to high levels of persistence in the environment and toxicity to nontarget organisms. Studies conducted in some parts of the country have revealed that residue levels of these compounds are still in the environment. However, the residues of these compounds have not been exhaustively studied in the Lake Victoria catchment area. This study was set to investigate the residues levels of p,p-DDT, o,p'-DDE, p.p-DDD, g-HCH, D-HCH, a-HCH, Aldrin, and Dieldrin, in water samples from Lake Victoria catchment. Samples were collected during the short rain, dry and wet seasons and analysed using gas chromatography equipped with electron capture detector. Residue levels ranging from below detection limit (BDL)-0.44 ug/l in river Nzoia water, between BDL-0.34 ug/l in river Sio water, BDL- 0.26 ug/l in water from Sio Port, and between BDL-0.31 ug/l in water from lake Victoria at Marenga Beach were detected. Key words: Organochlorine, residues, Lake Victoria