Translocation of chlorpyrifos residue from soil to Korean cabbage

The loss of residual chlorpyrifos in soil and the amount translocated to Korean cabbage were investigated in this study. Field trials with Korean cabbage were carried out in two greenhouses located in Yongin (Field 1) and Gwangju (Field 2). Soil and Korean cabbage samples were collected on different days following the treatment of soil with chlorpyrifos at two different rates. The initial amounts of residue in soil were 1.15 and 3.58 mg/kg, and these decreased to 0.22 and 0.49 mg/kg at 36 days after treatment (DAT) in Field 1. These values were 20.9 and 59.3 mg/kg, decreasing to 3.03 and 5.24 mg/kg at 43 DAT in Field 2, respectively. In Field 1, the half-life of chlorpyrifos was approximately 15.0 and 10.2 days in soil treated with 0.12 and 0.24 g a.i./m2, respectively. In Field 2, the half-life of chlorpyrifos was approximately 27.7 and 9.6 days following application of 0.36 and 0.72 g a.i./m2, respectively. When compared with the initial concentration in soil, the absorption ratio of chlorpyrifos residue to Korean cabbage was 0.93–6.01 and 0.57–2.61%, respectively. Therefore, safe management guidelines for chlorpyrifos in soil used to cultivate Korean cabbage may be suggested as 3.3 mg/kg regarding the maximum residue limit of chlorpyrifos on Korean cabbage (0.2 mg/kg).