RESTORING CHLORPYRIFOS-CONTAMINATED LAND: A REMEDIATION RENAISSANCE
Authors: Rajani Srivastava and Sanyam Dadhich
Rajani Srivastava: Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Mirzapur, UP, India.
Sanyam Dadhich: Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Mirzapur, UP, India.
ABSTRACT
Chlorpyrifos, a widely used organophosphate insecticide, has greatly increased agricultural output, but poses significant environmental challenges due to its persistence, ecotoxicity, and potential impacts on human health. Its significant sorption to soil particles, variable persistence, and potential for off-site transfer by runoff, erosion, and metabolite production extend risks beyond treated areas into interconnected terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Conventional remediation techniques frequently give little thought to long-term ecosystem restoration in favour of concentrating mostly on the removal of contaminants. The occurrence, environmental behavior, and remediation of chlorpyrifos-contaminated soils are summarized in this review, with a focus on new restoration-oriented approaches. The mechanics, effectiveness, and suitability of various remediation methods—such as microbial degradation, phytoremediation, biostimulation, and integrated ecological approaches—are evaluated critically. The impact of environmental elements such as soil characteristics, microbial interactions, and pesticide bioavailability on degrading performance is highlighted by a comparison of laboratory and field research. The review also addresses how integrated soil management techniques, plant-microbe interactions, and microbial consortia can improve degradation efficiency while fostering ecosystem rebound. This study highlights the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches that integrate biotechnology, soil science, and ecological restoration principles by placing remediation within the larger framework of sustainable land restoration. These tactics can enable sustainable management of pesticide-contaminated landscapes and help build more resilient agroecosystems.
Keywords: Chlorpyrifos, Degradation, Organophosphate, Pesticide, Remediation, Restoration