Determination of the Leaching Potential and Residues Activity of Imidazolinone Herbicide in Clearfield Rice Soil Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

The residual activity of herbicides may be detrimental to the environment, requiring analysis of the persistent residues in the soil and water. A field study was conducted to measure the residues of Imidazolinone (IMI) in three Clearfield (R) rice field soils at three different locations in Malaysia. The analyses of IMI in the soil samples were carried out using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These herbicides are widely used; however, few studies have been conducted on both residues, especially in the context of Malaysian soil. Residues of imazapic and imazapyr were found to fall within 0.03-0.58 mu g/mL and 0.03-1.96 mu g/mL, respectively, in three locations. IMI herbicides are persistent in the soil, and their residues remain for up to 85days after application. A pre-harvest study was suggested for these herbicides on water, which will provide a clearer indicator on the use of IMI in Clearfield (R) rice fields.