Abstract—These studies have been carried out on the behavior of pesticides in aquatic environments of marshes to monitoring water and sediment. A total of 25 water and 25 sediment samples were collected at five sampling station during April, June and September. 2013 the levels of organochlorine (OCP) pesticide as a case study to find out the extent of pesticide contamination and accumulation, in water was the concentration of OCPs (0.02, 0.066, 0.7, 0.8, 0.072, 0.058) ppb. In sediment was the concentration of OCPs (5.897, 10.987, 0.089, 0.096, 7.897, and 12.389) ppb respectively in DDT, DDE, Chlordane, Heptachlor, Lindane, and Endosulfan. There is a relationship between pesticides and sediment and water with physical properties because the concentrations of pesticide in water and sediment are not always in equilibrium Furthermore, when sediments are smaller, the rate of deposition is slower. There the wetlands of pesticides due to factors of high temperature and evaporation but used in the control of pesticides in water and sediment also there still exist a variety of organochlorine pesticide residues in water and sediments of wetlands. Keywords—Bioindicators, Iraqi marshes, Pesticides, Sediment, Water. I. INTRODUCTION ESTICIDES have the potential to prevent and control harmful organisms. Some pesticides can be toxic to humans and animals and their continuous application is causing serious problems of environmental and water contamination. The existing standards for the analysis of some priority substances, where some pesticides are included, are not sensitive enough to conduct the actual compliance monitoring [1]-[3]. Marshes in southern Iraq derive most of their water from upstream streams and rivers and the surrounding watershed. Water entering the wetlands contains high suspended sediment loads and organochlorine pesticides. Among such pesticides, Benlate, Diazinon, Dursban, Malathion, Propanil, Permethrin, Methiocarb, Ridomil, Triosulfuron add to DDT dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, was one of the most predominantly used pesticides in the watershed. Marshes were nearly completely dried during the 1990s as a result of large- Dr. Wathiq Abaas Hatit is with the Baghdad University, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Institute, Baghdad 496, Iraq (e-mail: wathiqaldrghi@yahoo.com). Dr. Reyam Naji Ajmi is post doctorate, main research field: environmental water quality (e-mail: reyam80a@yahoo.com). Dr. Huda Farooq Zeki is with the Department of Environmental Science, AL-Mustansaryah University, and Baghdad 496. Iraq (e-mail: zekihuda@ yahoo.com). Dr. Abdal-Kader Saeed Latif is with the Medical City Hospital in Baghdad, Iraqi Ministry of Health /Baghdad 496, Iraq (e-mail abdalkader@ yahoo.com). scale water diversions. Consequently, the wetlands changed from serving as important biogeochemical sinks to becoming sources of sediments through wind erosion and remobilization of biogeochemical elements that previously would have been held in the accumulated sediments [4]. Those pesticides which are likely to be present in given water supply. The limits set for both type of waters are 0.5 μg/L for the sum of all pesticides and 0.1 μg/L for each compound [5], [6]. The Mesopotamian marshlands are located mostly in south- eastern Iraq but also extend across the border into Iran. They once covered an area (20,000 Km 2 ) between the three Iraqi cities of Amarah in the north, Basra in the south, Naseriyah in the west [7]. The sources of marshland water were of multi origin namely rivers, precipitations and groundwater. The marshlands constitute the largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East. These wetlands are located at the confluence of Tigris and Euphrates rivers in southern Iraq. This area supported a marsh Arab population of 500,000 as well as numerous endemic species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish and invertebrates [7]. OCPs possess a cumulative capacity, slow degradation rate, and their residues are present in water and sediment even several years after their application [8]-[10] because of a number of disadvantages including environmental persistence, bioaccumulation and contamination by OCPs such as DDT, HCHs, HCB has been reported in water, sediment and aquatic birds [11], foodstuffs [12], wildlife [13], drinking water [14], human adipose tissue [15], and human milk [16], [17]. A. Aim of Study Owing to the greater environmental significance of OCP in marshes, the study envisages having a proper assessment of OCP in water and sediment. Thus, the objective of the present study was: 1) To determine the concentration levels of OCP in pesticides in surface sediment of marshes. 2) To obtain trends in spatial and temporal variation of organochlorine pesticides concentration and Correlation with the physical properties [Temperature (C) water, PH and EC (ls/cm)]. The results obtained may be made use of as a baseline data in developing effective remedial measures to improve the water quality status of marshes. II. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was conducted to investigate the levels of pesticides in flooded marshes. This information an important baseline for monitoring the impacts of pesticides on the Abdal-Kader Saeed Latif, Reyam Naji Ajmi, Huda Farooq Zeki, Wathiq Abaas Hatit Investigation on the Fate Pesticides in Water and Sediments Iraqi Marshland P World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering Vol:7 No:12, 2013 994 International Science Index 84, 2013 waset.org/publications/9996821