Cycling of weathered chlordane residues in the environment: Compositional and chiral profiles in contiguous soil, vegetation, and air compartments

Abstract

Technical chlordane, a synthetic organic pesticide composed of 147 separate components, some of which exhibit optical activity, was used as an insecticide, herbicide, and termiticide prior to all uses being banned in the United States in 1988. It has been shown that food crops grown in soil treated decades earlier with technical chlordane translocate the weathered chlordane residues from the soil into root and aerial plant tissues. A rigorous analytical method is presented for the simultaneous, quantitative determination of both achiral and chiral components of technical chlordane in soil, plant, and air compartments using chiral gas chromatography interfaced to ion trap mass spectrometry and internal standard calibration. Using this method, we have observed differences in both the absolute and the relative amounts of trans- and cis-chlordane enantiomers and achiral trans-nonachlor between the soil compartment and various plant tissue compartments for several field-grown food crops. Changes in the relative amounts of the (+) and (-) enantiomers of trans- and cis-chlordane indicate enantioselective processes are in effect in the contiguous compartments of soil, plant roots, and aerial plant tissues. The data for zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.), in particular, show an approximate fivefold enhancement in absolute concentration for total trans-chlordane, an eightfold concentration enhancement for total cis-chlordane, and a 2.5-fold enhancement for trans-nonachlor in the root relative to the soil matrix, the largest enhancements of any crop studied. This is the first comprehensive report of enantioselective processes into and through plant tissues for a variety of field-grown food crops. The selectivity will be related to observed insect toxicities of the enantiomers.

Comparative effects of rootstock and scion on dieldrin and endrin uptake by grafted cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

“…On the other hand, the uptake efficiency of dieldrin and endrin seemed to differ among the varieties of Cucurbita spp. Mattina et al 16) reported that the ratios of the chlordane-related components (cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane and trans-nonachlor) in zucchini were different from that in the soil in which the plants were grown. In our trials, we could only speculate that the differences in the plant E/D might have been related to the differential transport efficiencies of dieldrin and endrin from the soil to the aerial tissues among the varieties tested.…”

Chiral xenobiotics bioaccumulations and environmental health prospectives

“…Jensen and Jansson (1976) determined MeSO 2 -PCBs in Baltic seal blubber. Mattina et al (2002) reported the presence of cis-and trans-chlordane pesticides in the root, stem, and leaves of different plants including zucchini (Capsicum pepo), pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), spinach (Spinacua oleracea), pepper (Capsicum annum), and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). High percentages of (+)-and (−)-enantiomers of cis-and trans-chlordanes were observed.…”

Effects of PAH-Contaminated Soil on Rhizosphere Microbial Communities

“…Tango), and wheat (Triticum aestivum). These plants were chosen because cucurbits (zucchini and pumpkin) were shown to translocate persistent organic pollutants (Huelster et al 1994;Mattina et al 2002;White and Kottler 2002). This is unusual considering the low solubility of many organic pollutants.…”