Mustafa Ali Mohd*, Melissa Chan Pui Ling*, Benjamin Tan Lee Leng*, Abdul Maheenudeen Haji Mohamed* and Abdul Rani Abdullah**

*Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya
**Alam Sekitar Malaysia (ASMA)

In recent years there has been increasing concern regarding the effects of chemicals capable of altering hormonal homeostasis. Many of these so-called endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are significant organic pollutants in the environment. The relative ease of dispersion of many of these chemicals in the general environment is attributed to their persistent and lipophilic characteristics. Hence, many EDCs are also classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). In addition, many EDCs have relatively high vapor pressures which facilitate atmospheric transport. Because of the widespread use of many of these chemicals, exposure of biota, including man, to EDCs is generally considered significant.

The results of numerous environmental surveys on organic pollutants with reported endocrine-disrupting characteristics including pesticides, alkylphenols and phthalate esters involving both biotic and abiotic components in the global environment have indicated that the contamination of the general environment by such chemicals may be significant. In addition to the physicochemical nature of the chemical, tropical climatic conditions and agricultural and industrial practices and policies play important roles in determining the fate and distribution of EDCs in the global environment. In this study, five river basins in Selangor and Federal Territory (Selangor, Buloh, Klang, Sepang and Langat) were chosen as the activities in these basins were mainly agricultural activities, domestic waste, sand mining, industrial area, land development, sewage plant, pig farms and landfills. A total of ten organochlorine (OC), two organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, eleven alkylphenols and four phthalates were monitored. The main purpose of this study is to determine the contamination levels of these chemicals in the selected river basins in Malaysia. The collection of samples was conducted twice; first, during the rainy season (December 2001) and the second one, during the hot season (February 2002). Using established protocols, water samples from forty-four sampling stations along the chosen rivers were extracted and analysed for pesticides, phenols and phthalates residues. Analysis of phenols was done using GCMS after derivatisation of the various phenols with BSTFA. The results of the residue levels in the water samples will be reported.

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