US EPA

2202304 

Technical Report 

Organochlorine insecticide residues in red-legged partridge 

Debarros, MC 

1978 

PESTAB/78/2303 

Environ 

6 

PESTAB. Organochlorine residues in red-legged partidges were determined in order to assess the importance of this factor for the preservation and expansion of the species. Between November 1971 and January 1972 86 partridges were shot in 19 districts in 9 provinces of Portugal. Residues found included HCB (hexachlorobenzene), dieldrin, DDE, TDE, DDT, and o,p'-DDT. Contamination of this species by DDT and its metabolites occurs at low levels, since DDE residues exceeding 0.01 mg/kg were found in only 6% of the samples, TDE in 1%, and p,p'-DDT in 6%. PCB's were not detected in any samples up to the 0.01 mg/kg level of sensitivity. Dieldrin residues were rarely detected. Residues of HCB were found in samples collected in Baixo Alentejo at levels exceeding 0.01 mg/kg in 36% of the birds, while in 12% residues exceeded 0.1 mg/kg. The low residue levels detected in these samples clearly reflect the eating habits of these birds. It is concluded that local contamination of the red-legged partridge from both DDT and HCB exists in the Alentejo region in contrast with a low contamination level in the other regions of Portugal.