Natural attenuation and bioremediation of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan in periurban horticultural soils of Buenos Aires (Argentina) using microcosms assays

Abstract

Chlorpyrifos and endosulfan degradations were compared at laboratory scale in three different soils: a conventional horticultural (SH), an accredited 25 year organic horticultural (SA) and a reference soil (SR) used as control. Chlorpyrifos and α-endosulfan degradation half-lives were, respectively, in the range 7.2 d – 9.8 d and 4.4 d – 6.6 d, finding no statistical difference for any soil. In the case of β-endosulfan, a difference was found in degradation half-lives, being: SR (25.8 d) < SA (49.1 d) < SH (102.1 d), indicating some difficulty, in the case of the traditional horticultural soil, to biodegrade this isomer. Three different biostimulants: poultry litter (CP), bokashi (fermented organic matter, BKS) and ramial chipped wood (BRF) were added to soil to explore the increase of chlorpyrifos and endosulfan biodegradation. While no improvement was observed for chlorpyrifos, all biostimulants favoured endosulfan degradation. In the case of BKS endosulfan half-life was reduced ca. three times (considering both isomers). Seed germination bioassays were performed using soil and biostimulant to evaluate potential ecotoxicological impacts. CP had a significant inhibitory effect on germination, hypocotyl elongation, radicle length and hypocotyl length, while BKS and BRF parameters were more similar to the control performance.