Fate of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB) in soil-rice paddy system

Uptake of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB) by rice paddy was measured under pot cultivation condition. Concentrations of 1,2,4-TCB in various tissues of rice paddy were found to correlate excellently with the application levels of the chemical at cropping and residual levels at harvest, implying the potential risk of accumulation of 1,2,4-TCB in rice paddy grown in soil containing high concentration of the chemical. In the study, root uptake of 1,2,4-TCB rather than atmospheric entrance into rice paddy was observed. After one growing season, the residue of 1,2,4-TCB in soil were low, nevertheless, proportional to the initial concentration.