Photolysis behavior of herbicide propisochlor in water media and preliminary analysis of photoproducts under different light sources

Photolysis behavior of a new herbicide propisochlor in water media as well as the effects of light sources, initial concentration of propisochlor, pH value, dissolved oxygen (DO) level, and salinity on the photolysis process was investigated. It was found that the relationship between initial concentration of propisochlor and its photodegradation rate was negatively correlated. The changes in acidity and alkalinity of the reaction medium influenced the photoreaction rate evidently. In the alkaline solution the degradation was accelerated. In the reaction media with different pH values, the photolysis followed the first-order kinetics. The presence of dissolved oxygen may promote the photolysis and there existed an optimum of dissolved oxygen concentrations. Increasing the DO level can weaken the promotion and even have an adverse effect. It was demonstrated that with dissolved oxygen the photodegradation of propisochlor followed the first-order kinetics equation. The addition of salt ions Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ changed the ionic strength and solvent polarity, resulting in the effect on propisochlor photolysis. The photoproducts were detected by both HPLC and GC-MS methods. It was found that photolysis products varied under different light sources. Conclusions may be reached that in the photodegradation of propisochlor, the benzene ring remained intact under irradiation of both solar light and high-pressure mercury lamp, and the amido link was relatively stable, while dechlorination was liable to take place; moreover, α-hydrogen at the substituent of benzene ring was active.