Photo credit: Airwolfhound

A new study published in Environmental Geochemistry and Health has found that waterbirds from Central China are contaminated with pesticides. Researchers tested for twenty-one organochlorine pesticides in the muscles of six common waterbird species. DDTs, which are now banned, were the most prevalent pesticide found, suggesting that residues from historical use were the source of contamination. The pesticide heptachlor was also found in the muscles of ducks at levels high enough to pose a potential risk to humans consuming them.