Enantioselective behavior of malathion enantiomers in toxicity to beneficial organisms and their dissipation in vegetables and crops

► The acute toxicity of malathion to earthworm and honeybee was enantioselective. ► The R-(+)-enantiomer exhibited 65- and 17-times greater acute toxicity than the S-(−)-enantiomer for earthworms and bees, respectively. ► The inactive S-enantiomer degraded faster than the active R-enantiomer in chinese cabbage and rape. ► The preferential degradation of the R-enantiomer was found in sugarbeet. ► Long persistence of malathion in wheat was found.