No abstract

Monitoring of bovine milk of different places in Bundelkhand region of India was carried out to evaluate the status of organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues. Out of a total of 325 samples 206 (63.38%) were contaminated with residues of different OCPs. The average concentration of total HCH was 0.162 mg/kg. Among the different HCH isomers the frequency of occurrence of alpha-isomer was maximum followed by delta-, gamma- and beta. Endosulfan (alpha, beta, sulfate) was detected in 89 samples with mean concentration of 0.0492 mg/kg while total DDT comprising of DDT, DDE and DDD was present in 114 samples having mean concentration of 0.1724 mg/kg. Dicofol was positive in 17 samples.

Animal products like milk and meat are often found to be contaminated with residues of persistent pesticides and other toxic substances. The major source of entry of these compounds to animal body is the contaminated feed and fodder. So, unless the residues are managed at this stage, it is very difficult to prevent contamination in milk and meat. Therefore, the status of residue level of most persistent organochlorinated pesticides (OCP) in feed and fodder should be monitored regularly. The frequency of occurrence and contamination levels of OCP residues in different kinds of animal concentrate feed and straw samples collected from Bundelkhand region of India were determined. Out of 533 total samples, 301 i.e. 56.47% samples were positive containing residues of different OCPs like hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) complex, endosulfan and dicofol. Among different HCH isomers, the mean concentration of β-HCH was highest, and total HCH varied from 0.01 to 0.306 mg kg(-1). In case of DDT complex, i.e. DDD, DDE and DDT, the concentration ranged between 0.016 and 0.118 mg kg(-1) and the pp(|) isomers were more frequently encountered than their op(|) counterparts. Endosulfan was also found in some samples in concentration ranging from 0.009 to 0.237 mg/kg, but dicofol could be recorded in very few samples. Although feed samples were found to contain OC residues, after comparing their levels in positive samples with the limiting values of respective pesticides, only very few were found to exceed the threshold level. Otherwise, they were mostly within safe limits.

No abstract

Photodegradation of alphacypermethrin ((RS)-alpha cyano-3-phenoxy benzyl (1RS) cis-3-(2,2,dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethyl cyclopropane carboxylate) was studied as a thin film on glass surface and on black and red soil surfaces. A number of photoproducts from glass surfaces have been isolated, characterized and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). However, only two of them viz. 3-phenoxy benzyl alcohol and [2,2-dichlorovinyl-3(2,2,dimethyl) cyclopropane carboxylate] could be identified from both the soil. Rate of photodegradation on glass and soil surface under UV and sunlight followed first order kinetics with significant correlation coefficients. The rate of photodegradation was greater on black than on red soil.