Biodegradation of acetanilide herbicides acetochlor and butachlor in soil

The biodegradation of two acetanilide herbicides, acetochlor and butachlor in soil after other environmental organic matters addition were measured during 35 days lal)oratory incubations. The herbicides were applied to soil alone, soiI-SDBS (sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate) mixtures and soil-HA (humic acid) mixtures. Herbicide biodegradation kinetics were compared in the different treatment. Biodegradation products of herbicides in soil alone samples were identified by GC/MS at the end of incubation. Addition of SDBS and HA to soil decreased acetochlor biodegradation, but increased butachlor biodegradation. The biodegradation half-life of acetochlor and butachlor in soil alone, soilSDBS mixtures and soil-HA mixtures were 4.6d, 6, ld and 5.4d and 5.3d, 4.9d and 5.3d respectively. The biodegradation products were hydroxyacetochlor and 2-melhvl-6-ethvlaniline for acetochlor, and hvdroxvbutachlor and 2,6-diethvlaniline for butachlor.