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Sterile and Nonsterile Degradation of Carbon-14-Primisulfuron in Soil from Four Depths

Dep. of Soil Sci., North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695;

J. B. Weber

Dep. of Crop Sci., North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695.

^* Corresponding author (arthur__wollum{at}ncsu.edu).

ABSTRACT

The degradation of ¹⁴C-primisulfuron (2-[[[[[4,6-bis(difluoromethoxy)-2-pyrimidinyl]amino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl] benzoic acid) was monitored for 2 mo using soil microcosms under sterile and nonsterile conditions. Both chemical and biological degradation was detected. The half-life was 2.1 wk for nonsterile samples from 0 to 5 cm, and 3.4 wk for nonsterile samples from 20 to 25 cm. After 7 wk, bound residues accounted for 48 and 27% of the recovered radioactivity in these samples, respectively. For sterile samples from the same depths, the half-life was >7 wk and bound residues accounted for 7% of the recovered radiolabel. Disappearance and bound residue formation of primisulfuron were similar for both sterile and nonsterile samples from deeper in the profile (45–75 cm) indicating little biological degradation occurred in these subsurface samples. Chemical and microbial degradation of primisulfuron appeared to differ; the same metabolites were produced but at different times and in different amounts. Very little ¹⁴CO₂ (<3%) was produced from any sample. These results indicate that initial hydrolyzation of the sulfonylurea bridge occurs both chemically and biologically, but does not occur readily in the subsoil. This may have implications for the prevention of groundwater contamination and for the bioremediation of contaminated soils.