title: Studies on degradation of 14C-DDT in the marine environment.
abstract: Degradation of 14C-DDT was studied in a marine ecosystem for 60 days and in marine sediments under moist and flooded conditions using a continuous flow system for a period of 130 days. 14C-DDT residues were recovered in sediments of the marine ecosystem at uniform level of 60-65% of the applied 14C-activity throughout the incubation period. DDD was a major metabolite in sediments while DDMU was a major metabolite in clams. Clams brought about substantial degradation of DDT. However, 14C-residues recovered form clams are not suggestive of significant bioaccumulation. In the continuous flow experiment, under both moist and flooded conditions, DDT underwent degradation and about 22% of the applied 14C-activity was recovered as volatiles under both conditions. In sediments, extractable 14C-residues accounted for about 30 and 19% under moist and flooded conditions, respectively. DDT was the major compound in extractable residues as identified by TLC-autoradiographic procedures. More bound residues were formed under flooded than under moist conditions.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raghu
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Sherkhane
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000378:metabolism; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D003634:DDT / Q000378:metabolism*; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D003632:Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000378:metabolism; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D007306:Insecticides / Q000378:metabolism; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D007306:Insecticides; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D003634:DDT; D003632:Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane