title: International Pellet Watch: global monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in coastal waters. 1. Initial phase data on PCBs, DDTs, and HCHs.
abstract: Samples of polyethylene pellets were collected at 30 beaches from 17 countries and analyzed for organochlorine compounds. PCB concentrations in the pellets were highest on US coasts, followed by western Europe and Japan, and were lower in tropical Asia, southern Africa and Australia. This spatial pattern reflected regional differences in the usage of PCBs and was positively correlated with data from Mussel Watch, another monitoring approach. DDTs showed high concentrations on the US west coast and in Vietnam. In Vietnam, DDT was predominant over its metabolites (DDE and DDD), suggesting the principal source may be current usage of the pesticide for malaria control. High concentrations of pesticide HCHs were detected in the pellets from southern Africa, suggesting current usage of the pesticides in southern Africa. This study demonstrates the utility and feasibility of the International Pellet Watch approach to monitor POPs at a global scale.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (LOG), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Hideshige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.forename: Kaoruko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizukawa
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwasa
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Yukie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mato
authors.forename: Mahua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Arisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zurcher
authors.forename: Ruchaya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Booyatumanondo
authors.forename: Mohamad Pauzi
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Le Quang
authors.initials: le Q
authors.lastname: Dung
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miguez
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Hrissi K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Karapanagioti
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weerts
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McClurg
authors.forename: Erick
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burres
authors.forename: Wally
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Velkenburg
authors.forename: Judith Selby
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Duane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laursen
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Danner
authors.forename: Nickol
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stewardson
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D001493:Bathing Beaches / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003634:DDT / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005843:Geography; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated / Q000032:analysis*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; D020959:Polyethylene; D003634:DDT; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls