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Volatility of DDT Residues in Soil as Affected by Flooding and Organic Matter Applications
Author(s) -
Spencer W. F.,
Cliath M. M.,
Farmer W. J.,
Shepherd R. A.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1974.00472425000300020007x
Subject(s) - organic matter , chemistry , environmental chemistry , soil organic matter , flooding (psychology) , soil water , volatility (finance) , environmental science , soil science , organic chemistry , psychology , psychotherapist , financial economics , economics
In a field experiment, flooding with and without organic matter additions was evaluated as a means of preferentially degrading residual DDT and thereby changing the ratio of the various isomers and metabolites volatilizing from the soil surface. Flooding for a 7‐week period, either with or without manure or alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) meal applications, effectively degraded DDT isomers, primarily to the respective DDD isomers, but had little effect on DDE isomers. Both flooding and organic matter decreased the volatility even when soil concentrations were not affected, apparently because of increased adsorption of the compounds by added organic matter or by organic matter in the soil altered by flooding. The data indicate that minor changes in vapor concentration ratios were accomplished by flooding and organic matter additions, but regardless of treatment, the major constituent evaporating from the surface was p,p′‐DDE. To accomplish significant changes in volatilization patterns, it will be necessary to use such management practices before a major part of the DDT has been degraded to DDE. However, flooding and organic matter treatments will ultimately decrease the total quantity of DDE volatilizing from residual DDT in soils over long‐time periods because of their effectiveness in degrading DDT to DDD instead of DDE.