Residues of Simazine and Hydroxysimazine in an Orchard Soil

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Abstract
Simazine [2-chloro-4,6-bis(ethylamino)-s-triazine] was applied annually at 4.5 kg/ha to uncultivated sandy loam of peach (Prunus persica Batsch) for 7 yr (orchard A) and 9 yr (orchard B). Simazine and the metabolite, hydroxysimazine [2-hydroxy-4,6-bis (ethylamino)-s-triazine] as determined by gas chromatography (GC) persisted for 40 and 28 months in soil of orchard A and B, respectively. However, no progressive accumulation of either compound in large quantities occurred from repeated annual applications of simazine to the orchard soils. No metabolites other than hydroxysimazine were detected. Hydroxysimazine was degraded more slowly than simazine and the residue levels of hydroxysimazine were at least 40 times those of simazine 40 months and 28 months after the final application in orchard A and B, respectively. Both simazine and hydroxysimazine residues were detected in the upper 30 cm of the soil profile.