Anupma Kumari, R.K. Sinha, Krishna Gopal, K. Prasad

ABSTRACT

The concentration of organochlorine residues have been analysed in the fishes of River Ganga at four sites in Bihar: Buxar, Patna, Mokama and Rajmahal, and the average daily intake of these chemicals by human beings was estima-ted from the WHO data on average daily consumption (g) of fish by Indians. The concentrations of DDTs, HCHs, Aldrin and Endosulfan (ng g^-1) ranged 65.1 147.6, 228.6 401.7, 24.6 52.7 and 6.2 39.6 respectively, in the muscles of small fishes, and 211.3 1072, 309 862.4, 10.2 64.9 and 12.8 53.6 respectively, in large fishes. The average daily intake per capita by humans were: DDTs 3.48 g, HCHs 8.48 g, aldrin 1.01 g and endosulfan 0.61 g.