Environmental fate and

toxicology of
organophosphate
pesticides
K. VALA RAGNARSDOTTIR
Introduction
What are Organophosphate Pesticides
Transport and absorption of OPs
Parathion data
Solubility and Oxidation
Hydrolysis
Examples of OP transport
The Rhine
SW England
OP fate and transport summary
Conclusions/Results
Organophosphate Pesticides
The structure of pesticides can be used to
predict reactivity and hence hydrolysis rates
OPs are one of the six major classes of pesticides
These pesticides are heavily relied on due to
their longevity of use
Organophosphates are in virtually every
pesticide on the market
Diagram showing bacteria in association with
minerals and organic matter in soils
Absorption of
Organophosphates
OPs are absorbed by soil particulate matter
Affected by transport, chemical, and biological
processes
Sorption of organic molecules such as OPs is
primarily onto organics in sediments
Absorption tends to be irreversible and exhibits
hysteresis, which is where the value of
something lags behind and changes the effect
causing it
Parathion Data
Studies of the substance parathion have shown it
is bound weakly after treatment rather than
aging
This could be the cause of Parathion being
recognized in soil in some instances over 16
years
Parathion has a half-life of 14 days
In theory it should be totally absent after 140
days, but in turn this shows a strong comparison
that the substance becomes stronger after
application
Paraoxon Data
Paraoxon is one of the most potent acetylcholinesterase-
inhibiting insecticides available
It is a main ingredient in drugs used for the fight against
glaucoma
It is easily absorbed through the skin, and was used as an
assassination weapon by the apartheid-era South African
chemical weapons program Project Coast.
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is the chemical breakdown of a
compound due to reaction with water
Most important process in determining if there
are OPs dissolved in water
Hydrolysis of OPs result in introduction of water
molecule or a hydroxyl group into the chemical
structure
Hydrolysis rates of OPs increase as the pH goes
up.
Solubility
Solubility is the ability of a substance to dissolve in a
solvent
OPs are transported readily through soils and into
groundwater of surface waters due to their high
solubilities
OPs are very common in rivers due to runoff or
accidental spills
Oxidation
Oxidation of OPs can be microbially meditated
In groundwater oxidation is not a huge deal as far as the
fate of OPs are concerned
Oxidation is only important for OPs in the presence of
bacteria
Schematic diagram
showing competition
between OPs
(hexagons) and water
molecules (circles) for
adsorption sites.
Hydrolysis half life
of parathion and
paraoxon as a
function of pH.
Hydrolysis half life
of parathion as a
function of
temperature.
The Rhine
A 1986 fire chemical warehouse fire cause 11 pesticides to enter the
Rhine river in large quantities
OP pesticides that entered were disulfoton, thiometion, propetamphos,
and others
It is believed that 7000 kg of OPs entered the river
The surface waters OP contaminants were impacted by hydrolysis
This accident proves that large quantities of OPs can travel in water
Note that the lack of relative degradation rates for photolysis,
hydrolysis and biodegradation hampers accurate modeling of the fate
of the other OPs that entered the Rhine
 SW England
Focus area is in one of the most productive agricultural area in
Europe
Tests were ran to see how long it would take the OPs to enter the
river which is 1 km away, and studies show around 58 days is the
length
These calculations indicate high OP concentrations may be found in
unconfined aquifers and rivers of those that are also farmed
intensively
OP fate and transport
summary
There are many important processes in transport and fate,
these are sorption, volatization, solubility in water,
oxidation/reduction. Hydrolysis and biodegradation
Sorption of OPs is dependent on mineralogical composition
and content of organic matter
Lack of accurately measured OP water solubility and relative
degradation rates for the processes outlined above hampers
our ability to accurately predict the behavior of OPs in the
natural environment
Conclusions/Results
OPs are highly toxic and human exposure is undesirable
When mixed with water the OPs can be the cause of
deadly diseases
OPs in water are most prevalent in areas where the
usage is high, and the groundwater table is high, and
very porous soil
OPs need to be taken seriously because each year that
passes without action is decades more exposure to
pesticides that are likely harmful to health and the
environment
References
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phosphate_formula
.svg
http://jgs.geoscienceworld.org.librarylink.uncc.edu/content/1
57/4/859
http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-
destinations/europe/rivers/rhine/index.html