Composition, distribution and risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides in soils from the Midway Atoll, North Pacific Ocean

• Contamination levels of DDTs and HCHs were studied in the Midway Atoll, North Pacific Ocean.
• Potential sources of DDTs and HCHs in soils of the Midway Atoll were investigated.
• Possible degradation modes of o,p′-DDT in soils of the Midway Atoll were analyzed.
• Cancer risks of DDTs and HCHs in soils of the Midway Atoll were assessed.

Concentrations of legacy organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites (e.g., DDE and DDD), and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were determined in 111 soil samples from the Midway Atoll. OCPs were found in all samples analyzed, with predominance of α-HCH, p,p′-DDD and p,p′-DDT. The total concentrations ranged from 0 to 127 ng g− 1 with a median concentration of 17 ng g− 1 for HCHs and 1.4 to 643 ng g− 1 with a median concentration of 168 ng g− 1 for DDTs. The possible degradation pathways and potential sources of DDTs and HCHs were investigated. The total concentrations of DDTs and HCHs were used to evaluate the cancer risk probabilities in humans via ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation of soil particles. Very low cancer risk was found in all soil samples caused by ΣDDTs and ΣHCHs.