Ageing processes and soil microbial community effects on the biodegradation of soil 13C-2,4-D nonextractable residues

The biodegradation of nonextractable residues (NER) of pesticides in soil is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of NER ageing and fresh soil addition on the microbial communities responsible for their mineralisation. Soil containing either 15 or 90-day-old NER of 13C-2,4-D (NER15 and NER90, respectively) was incubated for 90 days with or without fresh soil. The addition of fresh soil had no effect on the mineralisation of NER90 or of SOM, but increased the extent and rate of NER15 mineralisation. The analyses of 13C-enriched FAME (fatty acids methyl esters) profiles showed that the fresh soil amendment only influenced the amount and structure of microbial populations responsible for the biodegradation of NER15. By coupling biological and chemical analyses, we gained some insight into the nature and the biodegradability of pesticide NER.