ABSTRACT
Dichlorvos may be released to the environment during its production, disposal and use as an insecticide in households and on crops and livestock. Dichlorvos is one of the more volatile organophosphates. Dichlorvos may be released in wastewater during its production and disposal. When spilled on soil, dichlorvos leached into the ground with 18 to 20% penetrating to 30 cm within 5 days of spraying in one experiment. Based upon the vapor pressure, dichlorvos is expected to exist almost entirely in the vapor phase in ambient air. Dichlorvos is listed as being amenable to biological treatment after acclimation although it was resistant to degradation in an 8 day laboratory test using a sewage inoculum. Dichlorvos was detected in wastewater from a dichlorvos production plant in Bulgaria at a concentration of 16 g/L. Dichlorvos was detected in 5.3% of the fruits and vegetables produced in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
