CONCENTRATIONS OF ALPHA-HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE AND GAMMA-HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE (LINDANE) IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF ENGLAND AND WALES

Concentrations of alpha- and gamma- hexachlorocyclohexane (Lindane) have been determined in the surface waters of the Humber, Thames, and Mersey estuaries, an area of the Dogger Bank, the English Channel, around the Channel Islands, from the last known positions of the lost container from the M.V. Perintis off the Cherbourg peninsula, the Baie de Seine and an area of the south-western approaches, which was used as a 'control area'. Samples were extracted, cleaned-up and analysed at sea using high resolution capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Two capillary columns of different polarity were used to aid in confirmation of residues. Levels of Lindane in inshore waters were generally low (< 2ng dm-3) and declined rapidly, on moving offshore, to back-ground levels.