Determination of persistent organic pollutant class pesticides levels in the soils of agricultural land of some central villages of Kastamonu

In this study, a total of 130 soil samples which were collected from agricultural fields in central villages of Kastamonu, Turkey were analyzed in respect of pH, EC and % salinity and the organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residues.103 of 130 soil samples were detected as clayey-loamy and 9 of 130 asclayey. Only 3 of all soil samples were detected as moderately alkaline, rest of them were mildly alkaline. 17 of 130 soil samples were detected asnon-saline, 17 of them were moderate saline, 93 of them were mildly saline and 3 of them were heavily saline. In our study, at least one of theOCPs was found in 100% of the samples. In our study, p,p'-DDT was the most common pesticide residue found in 98,46 % of the samples. p,p'-DDT is followed by o,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, alpha-endosulfan, dieldrin, o,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDEwith the rates of 36,15 %, 26,92 %, 26,15 %, 24,62 %, 19,23 %, 15,38 % and 14,61%, respectively. Other detectable pesticide residues were quintozen, beta-endosulfan, cis-chlorine, aldrin and trans-chlorine, which were detected in a small number of soil samples. No other pesticides were detected in the samples. The DDE/DDT values of samples werelow and indicating that a DDT pollution in recent times. The reason for this may be still usage of DDT although it is banned or recently dicofol applications.