Monitoring of Organochlorine Pesticide and Polychlorinated Biphenyl Residues in Common Swifts (Apus apus) in the Region of Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany

The use of pesticides is associated with the decline of several avian species. In this study, we monitored the organochlorine contaminants in common swifts (Apus apus) in the years 2016 to 2018. These long-distance migrants breed in Europe and winter in Africa. Their only feeding source is aerial plankton. Pooled organ samples of 42 adult and 40 juvenile swifts were tested with the multi-residue method by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS). Predominantly, 4,4′-DDE, dieldrin, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), lindane and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found in most of these common swifts. Only 4,4′-DDE (adult: 83 ± 70 μg/kg, juvenile: 17 ± 39 μg/kg) and dieldrin (adult: 2 ± 3 μg/kg, juvenile: 0.3 ± 1 μg/kg) concentrations were significantly different between adult and juvenile birds. All detected concentrations in our study were far lower than the previously recorded pesticide concentrations of common swifts in Italy and those which are known to cause toxicity and death in birds.

Water Bodies Quality along Paddy Field in Karang Ploso Sub District, Malang City, Indonesia

Agricultural activities cannot be separated from the use of agrochemical, both chemical fertilizer and pesticides. As the largest water user sector, agricultural activities are a source of water pollution. This study was carried out in Brantas’ upper stream along paddy fields, Karangploso Subdistrict, Malang District. The river water samples were collected along the paddy field. The samples were collected when ahead of the harvest season. During the harvest season, pesticides were not sprayed but the concentration of pesticides in the river is quite high. Because no studies have previously measured Organochlorine Pesticide levels in the river along paddy fields, this study is an important contribution to the knowledge of organochlorine contaminants present in surface water in Karang Ploso Subdistrict. The river water has a high concentration of organochlorine pesticides of 400.000 ppt, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of 226,8 mg/L, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 10,2 mg/L, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) of 3,8 mg/L, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of 36,4 mg/L, total phosphate (PO4-) of 0,2 mg/L, nitrate (NO3-N) of 0,7 mg/L, Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of 53 mg/L, and potential of Hydrogen (pH) in lab and field of 8 and 7,08, respectively.