AbstractPhotodegradation of the organophosphorous insecticide quinalphos (O, O‐diethyl O‐quinoxalin‐2‐yl phosphorothioate) has been studied. On exposure to natural sunlight, quinalphos was photodegraded with half‐lives of 30 days in distilled water, 20–23 days in tap and rain water and ≤5 days in 2% aqueous acetone. Quinalphos underwent photoisomerisation, oxidation from P=S to the P=O group and de‐esterification. Photoproducts were isolated and characterised by spectroscopic methods. When applied on soil thin‐layer plates quinalphos was promptly dissipated with a hal
展开▼
