ORGANOCHLORINE INSECTICIDE RESIDUES IN SOME AGRICULTURAL SOILS ON THE NORTH COAST REGION OF NEW-SOUTH-WALES

Organochlorine (OC) insecticides effectively control many agricultural insect pests. Surveys of agricultural soils in temperature regions have shown that OC residues have accumulated to unacceptably high levels and their use has been severely curtailed. Elsewhere OC insecticide use is still common - in New South Wales (NSW), they contrast to temperate regions, little information is available on the extent to which OC residues have accumulated in subtropical soils as a result of normal insecticide control practices. This paper reports results of a study done to determine levels to which OC residues have accumulated in pasture, sugar cane and banana plantation soils in the NSW North Coast Region. Study materials, methods and results are discussed.