Degradation of pesticides

Degradation of pesticides

All pesticides will go through a degradation process in the environment. Older types of pesticides, such as DDT, are persistent and will have long half-lives while newer types of pesticides will be degraded more rapidly. Today’s pesticides will not be registered for use before it has been demonstrated that the compounds will not persist in the environment for a prolonged time beyond their period of use. Degradation is often divided between “Abiotic” meaning chemical or photochemical or “biotic” meaning microorganisms. Information on degradation pathways for pesticides is available from a number of sources.

While most pesticides are degraded into substances with little or no negative effect on the environment there are a number of exceptions. Some pesticides will even degrade into substances that are more toxic than the mother compound, and these need to be taken into consideration when planning the testing.

Pesticide

Degradation product (Metabolite)

Aldicarb

Aldicarb Sulfone

Aldicarb

Aldicarb Sulfoxide

Methomyl

Thiodicarb

Diuron

1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl) urea (DCPU)

Butachlor

2-chloro-2,6-diethylacetanilide

Diuron

Diuron desmethyl (DCPMU)

Chloridazon

Chloridazon-desphenyl

Chloridazon

Chloridazon-desphenyl-methyl

Chlorotoluron

Chlorotoluron-desmethyl

Isoproturon

Isoproturon-desmethyl

Isoproturon

Isoproturon-monodesmethyl

Parathion

Paraoxon-ethyl

Parathion

Paraoxon-methyl

Simazine

Simazine-2-hydroxy

Terbuthylazine

Terbuthylazine-desethyl-2-hydroxy

Clodinafop

Clodinafop propargyl

Norflurazon

Demethylnorflurazon, desmethylnorflurazon

Quinalphos

Diethylphosphate, Diethylthiophosphate

Trinexapac-ethyl

Trinexapac

Atrazine

Atrazine-2-hydroxy

Atrazine

Atrazine-desethyl

Atrazine

Atrazine-desisopropyl

Azoxystrobin

Azoxystrobin-o-demethy

Fenamiphos

fenamiphos sulfone, fenamiphos sulfoxide

Haloxyfop-methyl (isomers)

Haloxyfop, Haloxyfop-P-methyl, Haloxyfop-2-ethoxyethyl

Malaoxon

Malathion

Methiocarb

Methiocarb sulfoxide

Phosmet

Phosmet oxon

Terbuthylazine

Terbuthylazine-desethyl

Terbuthylazine

Terbuthylazine-hydroxy

Imidacloprid

6-chlornicotinic acid, Imidacloprid olefin, imidacloprid urea

Metribuzin

Metribuzin-desamino

Glyphosate

AMPA

BAM

Dichlobenil

Dithiocarbamates

Propylene thiourea

Atrazine

Atrazine-desethyl desisopropyl

Metribuzin

Metribuzin-desamino diketo

Metribuzin

Metribuzin-diketo

Degradation of pesticides

All pesticides will go through a degradation process in the environment. Older types of pesticides, such as DDT, are persistent and will have long half-lives while newer types of pesticides will be degraded more rapidly. Today’s pesticides will not be registered for use before it has been demonstrated that the compounds will not persist in the environment for a prolonged time beyond their period of use. Degradation are often divided between “Abiotic” meaning chemical or photochemical or “biotic” meaning microorganisms. Information on degradation pathways for pesticides are available from a number of sources.

While most pesticides are degraded into substances with little or no negative effect on the environment there are a number of exceptions. Some pesticides will even degrade into substances that are more toxic than the mother compound, and these need to be taken into consideration when planning the testing.

Pesticide

Degradation product (Metabolite)

Aldicarb

Aldicarb Sulfone

Aldicarb

Aldicarb Sulfoxide

Methomyl

Thiodicarb

Diuron

1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl) urea (DCPU)

Butachlor

2-chloro-2,6-diethylacetanilide

Diuron

Diuron desmethyl (DCPMU)

Chloridazon

Chloridazon-desphenyl

Chloridazon

Chloridazon-desphenyl-methyl

Chlorotoluron

Chlorotoluron-desmethyl

Isoproturon

Isoproturon-desmethyl

Isoproturon

Isoproturon-monodesmethyl

parathion

Paraoxon-ethyl

parathion

Paraoxon-methyl

Simazine

Simazine-2-hydroxy

Terbuthylazine

Terbuthylazine-desethyl-2-hydroxy

Clodinafop

Clodinafop propargyl

Norflurazon

Demethylnorflurazon, desmethylnorflurazon

Quinalphos

Diethylphosphate, Diethylthiophosphate

Trinexapac-ethyl

Trinexapac

Atrazine

Atrazine-2-hydroxy

Atrazine

Atrazine-desethyl

Atrazine

Atrazine-desisopropyl

Azoxystrobin

Azoxystrobin-o-demethy

Fenamiphos

fenamiphos sulfone, fenamiphos sulfoxide

Haloxyfop-methyl (isomers)

Haloxyfop, Haloxyfop-P-methyl, Haloxyfop-2-ethoxyethyl

Malaoxon

Malathion

Methiocarb

Methiocarb sulfoxide

Phosmet

Phosmet oxon

Terbuthylazine

Terbuthylazine-desethyl

Terbuthylazine

Terbuthylazine-hydroxy

Imidacloprid

6-chlornicotinic acid, Imidacloprid olefin, imidacloprid urea

Metribuzin

Metribuzin-desamino

Glyphosate

AMPA

BAM

Dichlobenil

Dithiocarbamates

Propylene thiourea

Atrazine

Atrazine-desethyl desisopropyl

Metribuzin

Metribuzin-desamino diketo

Metribuzin

Metribuzin-diketo