Levels of Organochlorine Pesticides in Soils and Rye Plant Tissues in a Field Study

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The organochlorine pesticides are lipophilic and persistent and tend to accumulate in soils and growing plants. The contamination of growing plants occurs by adhesion of volatile substances from the air to the plant surface and by the migration of contaminants through xylem in inner ascendant transport. Persistent organochlorine pesticides (HCB, alpha,gamma-HCH, pp'DDE, op'DDT, pp'DDT) levels were determined in soils and rye plants. The aims of the study were the monitoring of organochlorine pesticide concentrations and the comparison of these levels among soil, rye straw, and rye grains. Fifty soil samples and 50 rye plant (50 straw and 50 grains) samples were taken. The GLC-ECD chromatographic results indicated the following contamination levels distributed among soil, straw, and grains: HCB (0.7-1.2-0.7 microg.kg(-1)), alpha-HCH (0.6-3.4-1.2 microg.kg(-1)), gamma-HCH (1.8-27.3-4.4 microg.kg(-1)), Sigma-HCH (2.5-30.7-5.6 microg.kg(-1)), pp'DDE (1.0-7.8-5.5 microg.kg(-1)), op'DDT (16.1-20.4-17.0 microg.kg(-1)), pp'DDT (38.0-41.7-49.6 microg.kg(-1)), and Sigma-DDT (54.2-63.2-72.1 microg.kg(-1)). The study verified the presence of organochlorine pesticides in the Mexican agricultural environment and their migration from soil to the growing rye plants. However, DDT has been banned since 1999 for sanitary reasons, and Lindane is applied only in some cases as a seed dresser. The determined organochlorine pesticide levels in rye plants are low, at residual levels that are below Codex Alimentarius Commission maximum residue limits.