Mobility and Degradation of Pesticides in Soil-Risk to Groundwater Contamination

Pesticides are used in modern agriculture to prevent crop losses by different pests and allow sustentation of the current crop yields. The pesticides after their use enter the environment viz., soil, water and air, then undergo various interactions and complex transformations resulting in the formation of multiple metabolites. The fate of pesticides in the environment depends on the properties of pesticide, soil and some other miscellaneous factors. Pesticides and their metabolites may move downward and reach groundwater under the effect of gravity, percolation, agricultural runoff or backsiphoning, hence there is risk to groundwater contamination. Chemicals have been noticed in groundwater, drinking water and surface water supplies. Therefore, research on ill-effects of the pesticide use and their fate in the environment is of great concern. The indigenous micro-flora is successful in biodegradation and removal of xenobiotics. So, in order to ensure public safety as well as the environmental protection from the chemical use, the pesticide use must be judicious and biodegradation of such chemicals to reduce their residues in agricultural products needs to be escalated.