Spatial and Seasonal Distribution of Organochlorine Contaminants in Surface Water and Sediment from the İzmit Bay, Turkey

The concentrations and distribution of indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-chlorophenyl-ethane (ddt) and its metabolites were determined in surface water and sediments from the izmit bay, turkey. the results showed that the levels of the total pcbs and total ddts ranged from <0.003 to 440 ng/l, and <0.003 to 1255 ng/l in water, and from <1 to 674 ng/g dry weight, and <1 to 7286 ng/g dry weight in sediments respectively. concentrations of pcbs and ddts in sediment were significantly higher than those in surface water, due to the high affinity of these hydrophobic compounds for sediment phase. congeners iupac nos. 28, 52, 101 and p,p’-ddt were found frequently in water and sediment samples.