Residual Characteristics of Organochlorine Pesticides in Lou Soils with Different Fertilization Modes1

ABSTRACTSoil samples with three fertilization treatments (no fertilizer, corn straw and farm manure) collected from a Lou soil (Eum-orthic Anthrosol classfied using Chinese Soil Taxonomy) in northwestern China were analysed for residual levels and their characteristics of organochlorine pesticides (α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH, HCB, o, p′-DDT, p, p′-DDT, o, p′-DDE, p, p′-DDE, p, p′-DDD, α-endosulfan, dieldrin and endrin). Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were detected in all soil samples except δ-HCH and their total concentrations ranged from 159.31 ± 9.00 to 179.77 ± 2.58 ng g−1 with an order of HCHs > DDTs > (dieldrin + endrin) > HCB > α-endosulfan. Among all the compounds, γ-HCH had the highest concentration followed by p, p′-DDE. The residual levels of HCH isomers and DDT as well as their metabolites in soil with different fertilization treatments were in the order of γ-HCH > β-HCH ≈ α-HCH > δ-HCH and p, p′-DDE > p, p′-DDT > o, p′-DDT > p, p′-DDD ≈ o, p′-DDE, respectively. DDE/DDT ratios ranged from 1.59 ± 0.13 to 3.35 ± 0.16 and endrin/dieldrin ratios from 1.40 ± 0.06 to 9.20 ± 4.05, both indicating no new occurrence of these pesticides in these soils, while α-HCH/γ-HCH ratios of 0.04 indicated a new input of lindane (almost pure γ-HCH) in the past several years. The farm manure treatments showed lower DDT residues than samples without fertilizer. Also addition of corn straw and farm manure increased soil organic matter content and decreased the soil pH which could retard the degradation of DDT in the soil.