ABSTRACT
Dichlobenil is released to the environment primarily from its use as a herbicide. Upon release to the soil, dichlobenil will volatilize rapidly and biodegrade slowly. Upon release to soil, the primary fate of dichlobenil is expected to be volatilization. Dichlobenil was found to decline to 15% of the maximum detected level in water samples collected from a farm pond seven weeks after treatment with dichlobenil. Dichlobenil was degraded to 2,6-dichlorobenzamide and several other unidentified metabolites by an aquatic Arthrobacter species isolated from hydrosoil. When dichlobenil was added to sterilized and unsterilized soil suspensions prepared from pond water and sediments, 22.9 and 3.5%, respectively, of the herbicide added remained after 4 weeks. Using the water solubility of dichlobenil, a bioconcentration factor of 53 was estimated. With loam and moderate irrigation most of the dichlobenil remained in the top 10 cm, while its metabolite, dichlorobenzamide, was more readily leached.
