Pesticide residues in agricultural water samples of Mysore district

Agricultural water samples from fourty farm areas of Mysore district, Karnataka, India, were sampled to identify and quantify the organochlorine and organophosphate pesticide residues as well as nineteen Physico-Chemical characteristics and heavy metal concentrations. Eleven pesticide residues including aldrin, a-HCH, b-HCH, g-HCH, dieldrin, heptalchlor, p, p’-DDT, p, p’-DDD, o,p-DDD, o,p-DDT and endosulfan I were detected in water samples and HCH isomers and DDT Metabolites covered most of the residues detected in the district. Almost all the pesticide residues detected in the water samples had concentrations below the maximum residues limits (MRL's). None of the samples showed detectable concentrations of organophosphorous and atrazine pesticide residues. Total average of pesticide residues of agricultural water samples did not show a significant correlation with total averages of Physico-Chemical characteristics as well as heavy metal concentrations in the whole Mysore district. In stead, there was a significant difference among the average pesticide residues in different taluks of the district. Occurrence