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Fil: Arias, Andrés Hugo. IADO, Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, CCT-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina Fil: Arias, Andrés Hugo. Departamento de Química, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Av. Alem 1253, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina Fil: Oliva, Ana Laura. IADO, Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, CCT-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina Fil: Ronda, Ana Carolina. IADO, Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, CCT-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina Fil: Ronda, Ana Carolina. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional Del Sur (UNS)-CONICET, Bahía Blanca, Argentina Fil: Tombesi, Norma Beatriz. Departamento de Química, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Av. Alem 1253, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina Fil: Macchi, Pablo Antonio. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Instituto de Investigaci ́on en Paleobiología y Geología. Río Negro, Argentina Fil: Solimano, Patricio José. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Río Negro. Río Negro, Argentina Fil: Abrameto, Mariza Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Río Negro, Argentina Fil: Migueles, Nathalia. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Río Negro, Argentina Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) threaten the environment due to their wide environmental resistance. Environmental paradigms coexist along the Negro River (NR) in Argentina, South America, which flows to the sea below the latitude of 40o S; however, this is the first environmental assessment of OCPs and PAHs in water of the NR for more than 15 years. With 21 sampling sites covering a range of 600 km of river extension, we assessed 16 OCPs and 16 PAHs in suspended particulate material (SPM) with regard to their levels, seasonality, sources, and potential biological risk assessment. Using gas chromatography– mass spectrometry and gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detection, we found an overall mean value for Σ16 OCPs of 648.56 ng. g 1, d.w. Despite a ban spanning 25 years, an increasing trend of accumulation of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and endosulfan was shown in the lower valley. The ɑ-HCH/ɤ- HCH and β-HCH/(ɑ + ɤ)-HCH ratios indicated a prevalent usage of technical HCH over lindane and recent HCH inputs. The most abundant compound, α-endosulfan, averaged 141.64 ng. g 1, d.w. and DDX (Σ 4,4′ -DDE, 4,4′ - DDD, and 4,4′ -DDT) averaged 99.98 ng. g 1, d.w. Winter OCP loads in the NR reflected the runoff of the heaviest pesticide application period. We estimated the total discharge of DDT into the Atlantic ocean was 96 g.day 1, added to 458 g of HCHs and 257 g of endosulfans (ɑ + β + epoxide) adsorbed by the SPM. PAHs occurred widely along the river (38.83 ± 43.52 μg. g 1) and the highest levels coincided with locations with marked anthropogenic-related activity, such as petroleum/gas exploitation facilities. Risk quotient analysis showed a lowrisk posed by OCPs, but a high risk of potential effects on biota posed by the PAHs, highlighting the need for mitigation measures. .

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 Bahía 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 fromLOD (method detection limits) to 0.74 ng/g wet weight in fish. While lindane and α-endosulfan were the dominant congeners in sediments, β-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.