SEASONAL CONCENTRATIONS OF DIELDRIN IN WATER, CHANNEL CATFISH, AND CATFISH-FOOD ORGANISMS, DES MOINES RIVER, IOWA-1971-73

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 9  (4) , 186-194
Abstract
Concentrations of [the insecticide] dieldrin in aquatic insects [Acroneuria, Pteronarcys, Potamanthus, Isonychia, Ephoron, Corydalus, Heptageniidae, Chironomidae and Tricoptera], crayfish [Orconestes rusticus and O. virilis], minnows [Pimephales notatus] and small carpsuckers [Carpoides sp.], and muscle tissue of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were compared with the dieldrin content of Des Moines River [Iowa, USA] water in 1971-73. Monthly mean concentrations of dieldrin in river water and most aquatic organisms were highest in June and July, soon after [the insecticide] aldrin had been applied to corn land in the watershed. Several groups of aquatic organisms also exhibited high dieldrin levels in the fall when the dieldrin content of river water was seasonally low. The influence of temperature on metabolic rate and enzyme activity and the differences in body fat content were suggested as probable causes of variations observed in the dieldrin content of aquatic organisms.

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