Degradation of 14C-malathion and 14C-chlorpyrifos-methyl on stored wheat

The degradation of malathion and chlorpyrifos-methyl on wheat stored under laboratory conditions was monitored using radiolabelled compounds. Metabolites of both insecticides were isolated and identified, although the formation of bound residues was the most significant feature in the breakdown pattern in both cases. After 5 months of storage, only 16% of the applied dose of malathion remained intact, the remainder being present as free metabolites (25%) or bound residues (42%). Chlorpyrifos-methyl degraded considerably more slowly than malathion, there being 60% of the applied dose still present after 14 months of storage. The bound residues accounted for 29% of the activity after this time. Attempts to determine the location of the activity within the grain suggested that it was concentrated in the germ by a factor of 10. Unfortunately, it was found not to be feasible to isolate the bran layer where a similar concentration of activity might have been expected. (author). 13 refs, 3 figs, 2 tabs