Relationship Between the Structure, Transport, and Toxicity of Chloroacetanilide Type Herbicides
Rita Földényi and László Gadár
Department of Environmental Engineering and Chemical Technology, Pannon University, Veszprém, Hungary
Corresponding author: Rita Földényi
P.O. Box 158
H-8201 Veszprém, Hungary
Telephone: +36-88-624404
Fax number: +36-88-624-533
E-mail: foldenyi@almos.vein.hu
CEJOEM 2005, Vol.11. No.4.: 293–300
Key words:
Chloroacetanilide, dermal absorption, log P, retention, soil
Abstract:
Chloroacetanilide type herbicides are widely used by the agriculture all over the world. The probable
mode of their action is the inhibition of protein syntheses. This study is focused on 4 different active
ingredients as follows: acetochlor, metolachlor, propachlor, and propisochlor. The hydrophobic character of
these compounds is in relationship with their environmental fate as well as their toxicity where the structure
of the N-alkyl group is likely to play a special role. According to static equilibrium experiments on natural
adsorbents (soil and quartz) and to the soil thin layer chromatography, propisochlor (having an N-isopropoxy
group) proved to be the least mobile, while propachlor (having an N-isopropyl group) was the most mobile. In
rabbits, the dermal LD50 values showed an opposite relationship, that is, propachlor was the least toxic.
Received: 5 December 2005
Accepted: 21 April 2006
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