Organochlorine Pesticides in Stellate Sturgeon Muscle Tissue in South Caspian Sea

Organochlorine pesticides are very important, due to their carcinogenic and delayed toxic function and their effect on nervous system of fish and human. In this study concentration of organochlorine pesticides including Lindane, Heptachlor, Dieldrin, Aldrin and DDT was measured in muscle tissues of stellate sturgeon of southern coasts of the Caspian Sea from Astara, Hashtpar, Bandare Anzali, Kiashahr, Ramsar, Chalous, Noor, Feraidoun Kenar, Khazarabade Sari and Bandare Turkman stations. In sampled stellate sturgeon, Heptachlor with an average concentration of 3.933 mg/kg on lipid weigth basis and Aldrin with an average concentration of <0.288 mg/kg on lipid weigth basis had the highest and lowest concentrations, respectively. The order of these pesticides according to average of concentration are as follow: Heptachlor > DDT > Lindane > Dilderin > Aldrin. Comparison of measured concentrations with Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) established by FAO/WHO showed that the average concentration of Heptachlor in all sampling stations exceeded the MRL value, also concentrationof DDT in samples from Chalous and Bandare Turkman exceeded the MRL value.