Review on
DDT and its residues in Turkey’s
wetlands
Zafer
Ayas*
*indiana@hacettepe.edu.tr
Department
of Biology, Faculty of Science, University
of Hacettepe-06800, Beytepe, Ankara,
Turkey
(Received:
June 21, 20056; Revised received: November 20, 2006 ; Accepted: December 10,
2006)
Abstract: Turkey is a country rich in wetlands (250
wetlands, approximately one million hectares). As it is in many countries, the
wetlands in Turkey
are threatened by the agricultural activities, loss of habitats due to these
activities and by pesticide contamination. After 1940, large quantities of
pesticides, especially DDT, were used intensively against mosquitoes and pests
in most of the wetlands in Turkey
causing considerable contamination. In the beginning of 1980’s, production,
import and use of DDT was forbidden due to its toxicity on non-target
organisms, environmental persistence, and accumulation in food chains. The
scientific studies made in Turkey
on the level of contamination in various environs and organisms by DDT and its
metabolites, are limited. These limited studies, especially the ones made after
1990’s, have shown that we still observe DDT contamination in many wetlands
(including internationally important ones like Goksu
Delta and Meric Delta) and in organisms like birds
and fishes. The data on the concentrations of DDT and its metabolites in the
organisms and the biological magnification levels are not adequate since in
most of the studies only water and sediment samples were analyzed. Besides, in
the few studies made on the organisms, standard methods and suitable indicator
organisms were not used. Because of these reasons, it is very difficult to make
reliable evaluations on the DDT levels and its effects in the wetlands of
Turkey. It is interesting that DDT levels are higher than its metabolites in
water, sediment and organism samples in some wetlands which imply the possible
use of DDT recently. The aim of this review is to summarize the studies made so
far on DDT and its residues in the wetlands of Turkey and to shed light on the
possible hazardous effects and to propose approaches for future studies.
Key
words: DDT, Water, Sediment, Fish, Bird, Wetlands, Turkey
PDF
file of full length paper is available with author
Â
Copyright © 2007 Triveni Enterprises. All rights reserved. No part of the
Journal can be reproduced in any form without prior
permission. Responsibility regarding the authenticity of the data, and the
acceptability of the conclusions enforced or derived, rest completely with the
author(s).
Â
