Abstract
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) residue in Ontario soil is expected to be found at trace levels, since it has been banned for over 45 years in Canada. This presents challenges to the efficiency and accuracy of conventional detection methods. This study intensified the conventional DDT detection method, in the characterization of aged soil samples collected from historically-treated sites in Ontario. Recovery, time consumption, and labor intensity were considered for the intensification evaluation. Ultrasonic probe extraction was found to significantly shorten the extraction time, with similar yield compared to ultrasonic water bath extraction and homogenized extraction. Homogenized extraction for 24 h following ultrasonic probe extraction can increase yield over 27%. Rotary evaporator concentration was used, since it can reduce the operating time with comparable recovery. The Florisil clean-up column used in the conventional method was removed from the intensified method, due to its negligible effect and high time consumption. The intensified method may be valuable for further investigation to determine other trace level organochlorine pesticide residues in soil samples.
Highlights
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a major concern in the environmental community, due to their long-term harm to both wildlife and humans [1]
One well-known example is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), which is a useful broad-range pest control agent in agriculture and forestry, and it can be applied to control the spread of diseases, such as malaria, through the extermination of mosquitoes [2]
Due to its potential adverse health effects, DDT and its metabolites (DDTs) was banned in the early 1970s in most northern countries, including Canada [4]
Summary
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a major concern in the environmental community, due to their long-term harm to both wildlife and humans [1]. One well-known example is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), which is a useful broad-range pest control agent in agriculture and forestry, and it can be applied to control the spread of diseases, such as malaria, through the extermination of mosquitoes [2]. It was used extensively from the 1940s to the 1970s in Canada for agricultural and residential purposes [3]. Soil is considered to be the major sink of DDT because it is highly hydrophobic [7]. After over 45 years of being banned, DDT is considered to be mostly degraded in the environment, because its half-life was expected to be between two to fifteen years in soil [4]
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