What happens to malathion when it enters the environment?
• Malathion enters the environment primarily through spraying on farm crops. • Malathion does not stick to soil and is broken down rapidly by bacteria in the soil, so it does not usually move from the soil to groundwater. • In water, malathion is broken down by the action of the water and bacteria in the water. • In air, malathion is broken down by sunlight. • Malathion is not expected to accumulate in the food chain due to rapid break down in aquatic organisms.
