Integrated pest management and residue levels of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in water samples from rural areas in Gujarat State, India.

The authors identified 2 rural areas for study in Gujarat State, India, on the basis of pesticide use in agriculture and vector-control programs. In rural area 1, pesticides were used in both agriculture and vector-control programs, whereas in rural area 2, they were used in agriculture only. Water samples were collected from both areas, and they were analyzed for total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) residues. The mean residue levels of total DDT in rural areas 1 and 2 were 7.56 ng/l and 4.27 ng/l, respectively. The corresponding values for HCH were 6.96 ng/l and 5.53 ng/l, respectively. Residue levels of both pesticides were significantly lower in rural area 2 than in area 1.