Fate, distribution, and bioconcentration of pesticides impact on the organic farms of Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Occurrence and distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), and pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) residues in the leafy vegetables were analyzed together with the soil samples using gas chromatography-electron capture detector. Edible tissues of vegetables showed detectable residues of these compounds indicating the influence of the conventional farms and nearby organic farms. In the vegetables, the OCPs concentrations were recorded as nd—133.3 ng/g, OPPs as nd—200 ng/g, and PYRs as nd—33.3 ng/g. In the soil, the OCPs concentrations were recorded as nd—30.6 ng/g, OPPs as nd—26.6 ng/g, and for PYRs as nd—6.7 ng/g. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) was higher for the OPPs (0.3) than the OCPs and PYRs (1.1). The OCPs concentration in the vegetables decreased in the following order: spinach > celery > broccoli > cauliflower > cabbage > lettuce > mustard. For OPPs, the concentration decreased in the following order: cauliflower > spinach > celery > cabbage > broccoli > lettuce > mustard and for PYRs as spinach > celery > lettuce > cabbage > broccoli. Principal component analysis indicates that the sources of these pesticides are not the same, and the pesticide application on the vegetables depends on the type of crop. There is a significant positive correlation between OPPs and the soil ( r = 0.65) as compared to OCPs and PYRs ( r = 0.1) as the vegetables accumulated OPPs more efficiently than OCPs and PYRs.