Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were assessed for their occurrence, behavior and the associated human health and ecological risks in four fish species (Micropogonias furnieri, Cynoscion guatucupa, Mustelus schmitti, and Ramnogaster arcuata) and sediments from the Bahia Blanca estuary, Argentina, an important coastal environment of South America.Total OCPs values ranged from 0.86 to 6.23 ng/g dry weight in sediments and from 0.74 ng/g wet weight in fish. While lindane and alpha-endosulfan were the dominant congeners in sediments, 8-endosulfan and p,p'-DDE were dominant in fish. OCP levels and residues patterns varied within the fish species and life stage.Finally, after cancer and non-cancer risk analysis, results concluded that the consumption of fish from the estuary would pose no health threats associated with these pollutants.