Downward Movement of Five Synthetic Pyrethroids in Three Different Soils of Gujarat

Synthetic pyrethroids have extensively been used against myriad of crop pests and sanitary purposes around the world. With such extensive use, the accumulation of synthetic pyrethroids in the environment is bound to be substantial. Pesticide residues in soil can diffuse, evaporate or leach, thus having the potential to cause water pollution and other ecological problems. Present investigation dealt with the downward movement of five synthetic pyrethroids viz., bifenthrin, λ-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, fenvalerate and deltamethrin in three different soils of Gujarat through saturated column study. The results revealed that 79.26–90.53% residues of synthetic pyrethroids were accumulated in the top section i.e. 0–5 cm in sandy soil while that of ≥ 99% were retained in sandy loam and clayey soil. The low solubility in water and the high affinity towards organic carbon of synthetic pyrethroids are the main reason for their retention in top most section of the column.