Radiotracer studies on the degradation of lindane in three Malaysian soils

The degradation of 14C-labelled lindane in three Malaysian soils i.e. Benta fine sandy loam, Selangor clay and Serdang fine sandy clay loam, under flooded and non-flooded (upland) conditions was studied. The rate of disappearance of lindane for the three soils under upland and sterilized flooded conditions after 90 days of incubation at 30+-0.50C were less than 41% w/w when compared to non-sterilized flooded condition (greater than 94% w/w). The most rapid degradation in non-sterilized flooded condition occurred in Benta soil, followed by Serdang and Selangor soils, in which half-life in each soil was 10.5, 23.5 and 34.5 days respectively. (author)