Organic amendments for risk mitigation of organochlorine pesticide residues in old orchard soils

Environmental Pollution
By: , and 

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Abstract

Performance of compost and biochar amendments for in situ risk mitigation of aged DDT, DDE and dieldrin residues in an old orchard soil was examined. The change in bioavailability of pesticide residues to Lumbricus terrestris L. relative to the unamended control soil was assessed using 4-L soil microcosms with and without plant cover in a 48-day experiment. The use of aged dairy manure compost and biosolids compost was found to be effective, especially in the planted treatments, at lowering the bioavailability factor (BAF) by 18–39%; however, BAF results for DDT in the unplanted soil treatments were unaffected or increased. The pine chip biochar utilized in this experiment was ineffective at lower the BAF of pesticides in the soil. The US EPA Soil Screening Level approach was used with our measured values. Addition of 10% of the aged dairy manure compost reduced the average hazard quotient values to below 1.0 for DDT + DDE and dieldrin. Results indicate this sustainable approach is appropriate to minimize risks to wildlife in areas of marginal organochlorine pesticide contamination. Application of this remediation approach has potential for use internationally in areas where historical pesticide contamination of soils remains a threat to wildlife populations.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Organic amendments for risk mitigation of organochlorine pesticide residues in old orchard soils
Series title Environmental Pollution
DOI 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.11.039
Volume 210
Year Published 2015
Language English
Publisher Applied Science Publishers
Publisher location Barking, Essex, England
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Contaminant Biology Program
Description 10 p.
First page 182
Last page 191
Country United States
State Maryland
City Beltsville
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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