title: Hexachlorocyclohexane - Long term variability and spatial distribution in the Baltic Sea.
abstract: In response to the HELCOM commitment the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemuende conducts a monitoring program on listed substances of concern for the Baltic Sea environment which comprises the isomers of technical hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). After World War II the HCH compounds were applied globally in huge amounts as insecticidal formulation in which only γ-HCH is the effective agent. Monitoring was conducted in water samples from a large Baltic Sea area. Mostly, the HCH compounds were evenly distributed in the Baltic Sea. Data from 1975 to 2015 from the Arkona Basin depict a substantial reduction of the HCH pressure (12,500 to < 400 pg/L). Longest residence is shown for β-HCH, which is currently the predominant HCH isomer in the Baltic Sea (α/β/γ:1/2/1). Half lives were determined to be 4-8 years for α- and γ-HCH and 5-20 years for β-HCH.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemuende, Seestrasse 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany. Electronic address: marion.abraham@io-warneumuende.de.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 78, 20359 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: norberttheobald@aol.com.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Theobald
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemuende, Seestrasse 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany. Electronic address: detlef.schulz-bull@io-warneumuende.de.
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schulz-Bull
mesh_terms: D001454:Baltic States; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007536:Isomerism; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane
keywords: Baltic Sea; HCH; Lindane