Concentration-Dependent Mobility of Chlorfenvinphos in Isolated Plant Cuticles

Abstract

The mobility of chlorfenvinphos in isolated pear (Pyrus communis cv. Bartlett) leaf cuticular membranes (CM) was studied as a function of concentration of chlorfenvinphos sorbed in the cuticle. Mobilities of chlorfenvinphos increased approximately 9-fold when the amount sorbed increased from 1 to 100 μg cm−2 pear leaf cuticle. From the amounts per area, average volume fractions of chlorfenvinphos in the cuticle were calculated ranging from 2×10−3 to 5·1×10−2. The increase in mobilities was steepest at the lower and levelled off at higher volume fractions. This correlation could be described for the whole range of volume fractions investigated by an equation which assumes homogeneously dispersed chlorfenvinphos. Temperature dependence of mobilities was studied at 17, 25 and 35°C and chlorfenvinphos volume fractions of 5·5×10−3 and 0·12, respectively. Arrhenius graphs were linear for both volume fractions, showing that cuticles did not undergo a phase transition due to the high amount of sorbed chlorfenvinphos. However, at a volume fraction of 0·12, the activation energy of diffusion, ED, was significantly lower (83·6 kJ mol−1) than at 5·5×10−3 (135 kJ mol−1). We interpret these findings as evidence for a plasticising effect on cuticular waxes by chlorfenvinphos. So far, such an effect had been demonstrated only for certain adjuvants (ethoxylated alcohols) but not for active ingredients. Chlorfenvinphos not only increased its own mobility in pear leaf cuticles, but also that of 2,4-D in Citrus leaf cuticles. This would be expected if plasticising of waxes was the sole mechanism responsible for increased mobilities. From these data we predict that permeabilities of cuticles to chlorfenvinphos are not constant. Depending on temperature as well as types and amounts of adjuvants, rates of foliar penetration of chlorfenvinphos can be higher if its concentration in the spray liquid is increased.