Decrease of Herbicide Bromobutide and its Debromo Metabolite in Paddy Field Soil during 24 weeks After Application

Variations in concentrations of herbicide bromobutide (RS)-2-bromo-N-(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)-3,3-dimethylbutyramide, and its metabolite bromobutide-debromo, N-(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)-3,3-dimethylbutyramide were investigated in soils from three paddy fields used for rice farming at 24 weeks after application. The bromobutide concentration was maximum within 24 h after application. That of bromobutide-debromo was maximum within 5–7 days of application. Each gradually decreased to below detection limits at 12–22 weeks after application. Bromobutide was detected up to 76–104 days after application in the paddy soils, whereas bromobutide-debromo was detected up to 125 days after application. The bromobutide composition was higher than 90 % within 6 days of application, decreasing to less than 5 % by 125 days of application. The decrease of bromobutide amount in the soil was inferred as the first-order reaction. The bromobutide half-life was calculated as 12–21 days (16 days mean) during 18–104 days following application.