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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