Photodegradation of acetochlor in water and UV photoproducts identified by mass spectrometry

The sunlight photodegradation half-lives of 20 mg/L acetochlor were 151, 154 and 169 days in de-ionized water, river water and paddy water, respectively. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, acetochlor in aqueous solution was rapidly degraded. The half-lives were7.1, 10.1, and 11.5 min in de-ionized water, river water and paddy water, respectively. Photopreduets of acetochlor were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS) and found at least twelve photoproducts resulted from dechlorination with subsequent hydrtrxylation and cyclization processes. The chemical structures of ten photoproducts were presumed on the basis of mass spectrum interpretation and literature data. Photoproducts are identified as 2-ethyl-6-methylaniline; N, N-diethylaniline ; 4, 8-dimethyl-2-oxo- 1,2,3,4- tetrahydroquino-line; 2-oxo-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(ethoxymethyl) acetamide; N-(ethoxymethyl)-2‘-ethyl-6‘-methylformanilide; 1-hydroxyaeetyl-2-ethoxyl-7-ethylind ole; 8-ethyl-l-ethoxymethyl-2-oxo-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroquinoline; 4, 8-dimethyl-l-ethoxymethyl-2-oxo-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroquinoline; 2-hydroxy-2‘-ethyl-6‘-methyl-N-(ethoxymethyl) acetanilide and a compound related to acetochlor. The other two photoproducts were detected by GC/MS although their chemical structure was unknown.     

Adsorption and correlation with their thermodynamic properties of triazine herbicides on soils

IntroductionAdsorptionofherbicidesonsoilfromwaterisanimportantfactoraffectingtheirfate,biologicalactivity,andpersistenceinsoil watersystem .Itisoftenaffectedbyseveralpropertiesofsoil.Betterunderstandingofadsorptionanditsaffectingfactorswillmakeitpossibletoadjusttheherbicidedosageaccordingtosoilproperties,thusreducingtheenvironmentalpollutionofherbicidesintheenvironment.Fig .1　StructuresofthreetriazineherbicidesAmongthepost emergentherbicides,triazineherbicidesaremostcommonlyusedworldwideonco…     

The rise of glyphosate and new opportunities for biosentinel early‐warning studies

Glyphosate has become the most commonly used herbicide worldwide and is reputedly environmentally benign, nontoxic, and safe for use near wildlife and humans. However, studies indicate its toxicity is underestimated and its persistence in the environment is greater than once thought. Its actions as a neurotoxin and endocrine disruptor indicate its potential to act in similar ways to persistent organic pollutants such as the organochlorines dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and dioxin. Exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate‐based herbicides for both wildlife and people is likely to be chronic and at sublethal levels, with multiple and ongoing exposure events occurring in urban and agricultural landscapes. Despite this, there has been little research on the impact of glyphosate on wildlife populations, and existing studies appear in the agricultural, toxicology, and water‐chemistry literature that may have limited visibility among wildlife biologists. These studies clearly demonstrate a link between chronic exposure and neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, cell damage, and immune suppression. There is a strong case for the recognition of glyphosate as an emerging organic contaminant and substantial potential exists for collaborative research among ecologists, toxicologists, and chemists to quantify the impact of glyphosate on wildlife and to evaluate the role of biosentinel species in a preemptive move to mitigate downstream impacts on people. There is scope to develop a decision framework to aid the choice of species to biomonitor and analysis methods based on the target contaminant, spatial and temporal extent of contamination, and perceived risk. Birds in particular offer considerable potential in this role because they span agricultural and urban environments, coastal, inland, and wetland ecosystems where glyphosate residues are known to be present.     

Review of Pesticide Retention Processes Occurring in Buffer Strips Receiving Agricultural Runoff1

Arora, Kapil, Steven K. Mickelson, Matthew J. Helmers, and James L. Baker, 2010. Review of Pesticide Retention Processes Occurring in Buffer Strips Receiving Agricultural Runoff. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(3):618-647. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00438.x Abstract: Review of the published results shows that the retention of the two pesticide carrier phases (runoff volume and sediment mass) influences pesticide mass transport through buffer strips. Data averaged across different studies showed that the buffer strips retained 45% of runoff volume (ranging between 0 and 100%) and 76% of sediment mass (ranging between 2 and 100%). Sorption (soil sorption coefficient, K_oc) is one key pesticide property affecting its transport with the two carrier phases through buffer strips. Data from different studies for pesticide mass retention for weakly (K_oc < 100), moderately (100 < K_oc < 1,000), and strongly sorbed pesticides (K_oc > 1,000) averaged (with ranges) 61 (0-100), 63 (0-100), and 76 (53-100) %, respectively. Because there are more data for runoff volume and sediment mass retention, the average retentions of both carrier phases were used to calculate that the buffer strips would retain 45% of weakly to moderately sorbed and 70% of strongly sorbed pesticides on an average basis. As pesticide mass retention presented is only an average across several studies with different experimental setups, the application of these results to actual field conditions should be carefully examined.     

添加不同 N源条件下典型除草剂对土壤呼吸和 N2O排放的影响

通过室内土壤培养实验,采用间歇密闭培养-气相色谱法研究了添加不同N源条件下我国典型旱地除草剂对农田土壤呼吸和N2O排放的影响.结果表明,在添加（NH4）2SO4氮源条件下,莠去津和百草枯对土壤呼吸和N2O排放无显著影响（P〉0.05）.草甘膦显著抑制了土壤呼吸（P〈0.05）,是对照的78.5%,N2O的排放无显著影响（P〉0.05）,仅表现为均值降低了20.1%.苯磺隆显著促进了土壤呼吸（P〈0.05）,是对照的1.1倍,对N2O排放也无显著影响（P〉0.05）.乙草胺显著促进了土壤呼吸和N2O的排放（P〈0.05）,分别是对照的1.1和1.5倍.在添加尿素的条件下,莠去津和乙草胺对土壤呼吸和N2O排放无显著影响（P〉0.05）.百草枯显著促进了N2O的排放（P〈0.05）,是对照的1.4倍,却对土壤呼吸无显著影响（P〉0.05）.草甘膦显著抑制了土壤呼吸（P〈0.05）,仅为对照的82.5%,对N2O的排放却无显著影响（P〉0.05）.苯磺隆显著促进了土壤呼吸和N2O的排放（P〈0.05）,其分别是对照的1.3和1.6倍.鉴于不同除草剂对不同微生物生理代谢影响的复杂性,其对温室气体的作用和影响还需长期田间试验研究.     

Structural changes in soil communities after triclopyr application in soils invaded by Acacia dealbata Link

Triclopyr is a commonly used herbicide in the control of woody plants and can exhibit toxic effects to soil microorganisms. However, the impact on soils invaded by plant exotics has not yet been addressed. Here, we present the results of an 18-month field study conducted to evaluate the impact of triclopyr on the structure of fungal and bacterial communities in soils invaded by Acacia dealbata Link, through the use of denature gradient gel electrophoresis. After triclopyr application, analyses of bacterial fingerprints suggested a change in the structure of the soil bacterial community, whereas the structure of the soil fungal community remained unaltered. Bacterial density and F:B ratio values changed across the year but were not altered due to herbicide spraying. On the contrary, fungal diversity was increased in plots sprayed with triclopyr 5 months after the first application. Richness and diversity (H´) of both bacteria and fungi were not modified after triclopyr application.     

Appendix

Abstract

An atrazine‐degrading bacterial isolate (M91–3) was able to utilize simazine and cyanazine as N sources for glucose‐dependent growth. The degradation of these three 5‐triazine herbicides was also investigated in binary and ternary mixtures. The organism used atrazine and simazine indiscriminately, whereas cyanazine degradation was slow and delayed until the depletion of the two other herbicides. There was no apparent effect of other commonly used herbicides on the rate of atrazine degradation by M91–3.     

Sublethal impact of paraquat on the life span and parasitic behavior of Diaeretiella rapae M’Intosh

This study focuses on assessing the impact of sublethal doses of paraquat on the survival, the emergence, the life span and the parasitic behavior of Diaeretiella rapae M’Intosh (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The impact of sublethal doses was measured at room temperature using different densities of the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae. The results reveal that the field dose of paraquat caused 100% mortality in D. rapae. The percentage emergence of D. rapae decreased from 80.5% in the control group to 71.5% when treated with the lowest concentration of paraquat. Similarly, the life span of parasitoids that emerged from the mummy treated with paraquat also decreased significantly. Oviposition capability and ovipositor thrusting frequency of D. rapae also treated with sublethal dose paraquat decreased significantly along with a shortened patch residence time in the foraging area.     

Phototransformation of herbicide metsulfuron methyl

Phototransformation of the herbicide metsulfuron methyl was investigated on glass surface under sunlight and ultraviolet (UV) light and compared with dark condition. The half-lives of metsulfuron methyl under UV light and sunlight were found to be 0.5 and 7.8 days respectively. Rate of phototransformation followed first order kinetics with significant correlation coefficient. The major photoproducts were identified as methyl-2-sulfonyl-amino-benzoate, 2-amino-6-methoxy-4-methyltriazine and saccharin (O-sulfobenzoimide). Various metabolites from this study were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Authentic samples required for HPLC comparison were prepared in laboratory and characterized on the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infra red (IR) spectral data. These metabolites were also identified from metsulfuron methyl treated wheat field soil.     

生物有机除草剂防除水田杂草试验研究

采用田间试验方法,进行了生物稻壳粉、生物稻草粉2种生物有机除草剂对水田杂草的防效试验。结果表明,2种生物有机除草剂对水田杂草均有不同程度的防效,其中生物稻壳粉防效最好、经济效益最高,生物稻草粉防效和经济效益次之。该试验研究为生产有机水稻提供了新的除草方法。