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Evaluation of hexachlorocyclohexane contamination from the last lindane production plant operating in India

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Abstract

Purpose

α-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), β-HCH, and lindane (γ-HCH) were listed as persistent organic pollutants by the Stockholm Convention in 2009 and hence must be phased out and their wastes/stockpiles eliminated. At the last operating lindane manufacturing unit, we conducted a preliminary evaluation of HCH contamination levels in soil and water samples collected around the production area and the vicinity of a major dumpsite to inform the design of processes for an appropriate implementation of the Convention.

Methods

Soil and water samples on and around the production site and a major waste dumpsite were measured for HCH levels.

Results

All soil samples taken at the lindane production facility and dumpsite and in their vicinity were contaminated with an isomer pattern characteristic of HCH production waste. At the dumpsite surface samples contained up to 450 g kg−1 Σ HCH suggesting that the waste HCH isomers were simply dumped at this location. Ground water in the vicinity and river water was found to be contaminated with 0.2 to 0.4 mg l−1 of HCH waste isomers. The total quantity of deposited HCH wastes from the lindane production unit was estimated at between 36,000 and 54,000 t.

Conclusions

The contamination levels in ground and river water suggest significant run-off from the dumped HCH wastes and contamination of drinking water resources. The extent of dumping urgently needs to be assessed regarding the risks to human and ecosystem health. A plan for securing the waste isomers needs to be developed and implemented together with a plan for their final elimination. As part of the assessment, any polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) generated during HCH recycling operations need to be monitored.

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Notes

  1. CAS Registry No. 608-73-1

  2. γ-HCH is the only insecticidally active isomer.

  3. CAS Registry No. 58-89-9

  4. The deposition depth was estimated by interviewing people living in the area.

  5. Additionally even hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is offered here as commercial product although it is listed as POP in the Stockholm Convention.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and National Bureau of Agricultural Important Microorganisms (NBAIM), and DU/DST-PURSE Grant Government of India. S Jit, JK, NN, DL, NG acknowledge Council of Scientific Research and Industrial Research (CSIR), Govt. of India and S Jindal, PS, KB, PL acknowledge Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India for providing the research fellowship. We also gratefully acknowledge Dr. Sudhir Kumar and Faizan Haider (Lucknow University, India) for their help in sample collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India

    Simran Jit, Hansi Kumari, Swati Jindal, Jasvinder Kaur, Pushp Lata, Neha Niharika, Devi Lal, Nidhi Garg, Pooja Sharma, Kiran Bala & Rup Lal

  2. POPs Environmental Consulting, Ulmenstrasse 3, 73035, Goeppingen, Germany

    Roland Weber

  3. International HCH and Pesticides Association, Elmevej 14, 2840, Holte, Denmark

    John Vijgen

  4. Laboratoire Interactions, Ecotoxicologie, Biodiversite Écosystémes (LIEBE)-CNRS, Université Paul Verlaine—Metz, Metz, France

    Mandeep Dadhwal

  5. Department of Anatomical Sciences & Neurobiology, University of Louisville, School of Medicine, 500 South Preston Street, Room 916A, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA

    Sanjay Kumar Gupta

  6. Department of Zoology, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, 110021, India

    Ajaib Singh

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  1. Simran Jit
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  2. Mandeep Dadhwal
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Correspondence to Rup Lal.

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Responsible editors: Roland Weber, Mats Tysklind, Caroline Gaus

This article belongs to the series “Dioxin and POP Contaminated sites” edited by Roland Weber, Mats Tysklind, and Caroline Gaus.

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Supporting information Figure 1

Map showing the road from to the Ummari village dumpsite from the production unit. The identified dumpsite and suspected HCH dumpsites are marked (DOC 457 kb)

Supporting information Figure 2

a The Google Earth pictures show the location of lindane production unit with marked HCH production waste storage (muck yard) and the Sharda River. b. Photograph of the lindane production unit interim storage muck yard from outside (picture from 2004). c Top view of the HCH dumpsite (covering a total area of approximately 1000 m2) wherein the white deposits of HCH muck can be easily discovered. No vegetation is present in these particular areas. d A recent digging at the HCH dumpsite (2009) revealing the depth of HCH contamination (approximately 2 m) (DOC 3737 kb)

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Jit, S., Dadhwal, M., Kumari, H. et al. Evaluation of hexachlorocyclohexane contamination from the last lindane production plant operating in India. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18, 586–597 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-010-0401-4

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