Effect of Chlorpyrifos and Malathion on Soil Microbial Population and Enzyme Activity

Abstract

Keywords: Chlorpyrifos; Malathion; Amylase; Cellulase; Phosphatase; Microbial Population Pesticides are chemical substances that are used for the protection of crop, plants and vegetables from various insects. Repeated applications of pesticides contaminate the soil and also disturb the soil environment by affecting soil microflora and various physicochemical properties of soil. In view of above problem, the present study examines the effect of different concentrations of chlorpyrifos and malathion (10 -1000 ppm) at different incubation period for their impact on various soil microflora and enzyme activities in soil collected from cauliflower field of Jalandhar, Punjab (India). Lower concentration of malathion and chlorpyrifos is beneficial but higher concentration lead to reduction in microbial action in soil. After 250 ppm more declination was found in bacterial populations. Similar results were found in case of actinomycetes populations. However, use of Malathion drastically decreased the fungal population but chlorpyrifos does not have adverse effect on the number. In soil enzyme activities, low conc. has no effect on amylase but activity slightly decreased after 500 ppm. Stimulatory effect in cellulase was found at low conc. and inhibitory effect at higher concentrations. Low conc. is beneficial for P-solubilising bacteria but at higher conc. it showed deleterious effect on the phosphatase enzyme. These results concluded that these pesticides have considerably deleterious impact on soil microflora, which may be results in harmful effect on nutrients uptake and plant growth. Malathion showed more adverse effect as compared to chlorpyrifos. This research area merits enhanced future research based on molecular technique, contrary to traditional approach, which are used for quantification of net impact on soil biology.Pesticides are extensively used against a range of pests flourishing agricultural crops. Today, the demand for food is increasing as the population of the world is increasing that leads to sustainability of food production through intensive and modern agriculture attention of public health and proper utilization of natural resources. Soil is a living dynamic system containing many free enzymes, immobilized extracellular enzymes and enzymes within microbial cells. Pesticides affects many physiochemical phenomenon involving soil enzymes and microbial population like, the organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling [3]. The persistence of chlorpyrifos and malathion in human and environment has been reported earlier, but their effect on soil microbes and soil enzymes has not been studied in Jalandhar district of Punjab. The impact of these two is such that the WHO has put three of two "chlorpyrifos and Malathion" to adversely affect 97% of the 1,782 species listed under the endangered species act. This study also conducted in order to aware the farmers of Punjab about the potential risk to their land and life.

Persistence and Bioaccumulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Soil and Aquatic Ecosystems: Syrian Frontiers in Ecology and Environment

“…Apparently, a large resistance exists in practice to reach the equilibrium state. Similar findings have been reported in relation to hydrolysis and microbial breakdown of malathion (organophosphate insecticide, O,O-dimethyl dithiophosphate of diethyl mercaptosuccinate, C 10 H 19 O 6 PS 2 ) which took place at a lower rate in an environmental simulator than the rates measured in laboratory studies (Mahanta, 2016;Walia et al, 2018).…”

Histomorphometric Alterations in Hepatic Tissue from Malathion-Induced Toxicity: An Experimental Animal Study

“…3,5,6 In developing countries like Pakistan, OP compounds like Malathion is the foremost reason of environmental poisoning. 6,7 It is a topical agent and being lipophilic, gets rapidly absorbed through the skin. It can also be absorbed through nasal and oral routes.…”

“…It is also lipophilic and directly interacts with the cellular plasma membrane resulting in lipid peroxidation and membrane damage. 7,8 Prolonged exposure to Malathion through water and food products causes serious pathological effects including hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, pancreatitis, hematological disorders, fertility issues, venous thrombosis as well as carcinomas. 9 Studies have reported harmful effects of these Malathion-containing pesticides on human health ranging from mild headaches and body aches to respiratory distress, hormonal issues among women, hepatic issues and even death.…”

Impact of Chlorpyrifos on Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria Isolated from Abelmoschus esculentus

“…Its extravagant use and neurotoxic as well as immunotoxic nature has created a number of unavoidable and inevitable contamination of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem causing serious threats to non-targeted organisms 14,15,16,17 . CP usage disturbs microflora of soil 18,19,20 . Loss of microbial diversity in soil ultimately leads to loss in soil fertility which is detrimental to plant growth and productivity.…”