Persistence and degradation of chlorfenvinphos, diazinon, fonofos and phorate in soils and their uptake by carrots

Abstract

AbstractAnalytical methods are described for the determination of residues of chlorfenvinphos, diazinon, fonofos and phorate in soils and carrots. The insecticides, applied in June 1969 at 2 kg (a.i.)/ha, persisted longer in peaty loam than in sandy loam. After 7 months, the sandy loam contained 1% of the applied diazinon and 20–30% of the applied chlorfenvinphos, fonofos and phorate, the latter as its sulphone; the corresponding figures for the peaty loam were 10, 40–50, 40–50 and 30–40% respectively. None of the residues showed any substantial change from October to January.Although high initial concentrations (up to 50 ppm) of the residues in carrots were diluted by plant growth, it is shown that concentrations >1 ppm could be present in marketable crops 12–14 weeks after application at recommended rates. Carrots harvested 26 weeks after sowing contained <0.2 ppm of all insecticides. In contrast, during the first 15 weeks of crop growth the weights of residues in the carrots increased and remained approximately proportional to the square root of the carrot mean weight. Rates of uptake declined as carrot growth declined and subsequently the amounts of chlorfenvinphos, diazinon and fonofos residues in the carrots changed very little, while phorate sulphone steadily declined.