Endosulfan is a persistent and toxic organochlorine pesticide of banned or restricted use in several
countries. It has been found in soil, water, and air and is bioaccumulated and magnified in ecosystems.
Phytoremediation is a technology that promises effective and inexpensive cleanup of contaminated
hazardous sites. The potential use of tomato, sunflower, soybean and alfalfa species to remove endosulfan
from soil was investigated. All species were seeded and grown in endosulfan-spiked soils
(8000 ng g1 dry weight) for 15 and 60 days. The phytoremediation potential was evaluated by studying
the endosulfan levels and distribution in the soil-plant system, including the evaluation of soil dehydrogenase
activity and toxic effects on plants. Plant endosulfan uptake leads to lower insecticide levels in
the rhizosphere with regards to bulk soil or near root soil at 15 days of growth. Furthermore, plant
growth-induced physical-chemical changes in soil were evidenced by differences in soil dehydrogenase
activity and endosulfan metabolism. Sunflower showed differences in the uptake and distribution of
endosulfan with regard to the other species, with a distribution pesticide pattern of aerial tissues > roots
at 15 days of growth. Moreover, at 60 days, sunflower presented the highest pesticide levels in roots and
leaves along with the highest phytoextraction capacity. Lipid peroxidation levels correlated positively
with endosulfan accumulation, reflecting the negative effect of this insecticide on plant tissues.
Considering biomass production and accumulation potential, in conjunction with the reduction of soil
pesticide levels, sunflower plants seem to be the best phytoremediation candidate for endosulfan residues
in soils.