Pesticide Residues Of Twenty Mississippi Delta Lakes

In 1969 the pesticide concentrations of 20 randomly selected Delta Lakes were evaluated by gas chromatograph. The DDT complex and toxaphene were the prevalent pesticides found in water, fish and bottom sediment. Lake waters were generally low in pesticide residues. Pesticide residues of DDT+metabolites and toxaphene in fish flesh ranged respectively from 0.15-10.60 p.p.m. and 0.0-20.0 p.p.m. Bottom sediment contained from 0.02-3.58 p.p.m. DDT+metabolites, while toxaphene ranged from 0.0-2.47 p.p.m. All lakes surveyed were found to contain pesticides.