Persistence of aldrin in flooded soil under the cover of rice

Abstract

The persistence of aldrin in soil and its translocation into rice plants and grains were tested under two different field conditions. Treatment T₁, which consisted of aldrin application at the rate of 1.5 kg active ingredient/ha at nursery sowing, did not leave aldrin residues in rice plants 40 days after application (10 days after transplanting). Dieldrin was present in plants to the extent of 0.04 ppm at this stage but completely disappeared (below detectable limit) within 70 days (30 days after transplanting). Treatment T₂ involved aldrin application 10 days after transplanting in flooded soil at the same rate and left 0.518 ppm residues in soil just after application. These residues dissipated to their half in 90 days. At this stage its conversion to dieldrin was also observed. Remaining residues dwindled to below the detectable limit in 270 days. Plant samples analyzed from this treatment at 7 and 30 days contained 0.079 and 0.169 ppm aldrin and 0.025 and 0.08 ppm dieldrin, respectively. Rice grains also had aldrin and dieldrin residues (each at 0.001 ppm level) at harvest time but these were below the Maximum Tolerance Limits. Both the treatments were found safe from the toxic residue point of view.