Transformation kinetics and mechanism of the sulfonylurea herbicides pyrazosulfuron ethyl and halosulfuron methyl in aqueous solutions

Pyrazosulfuron ethyl (PE) and halosulfuron methyl (HM) are two new highly active sulfonylurea herbicides that have been widely used for weed control in a variety of vegetables and other crops. These two herbicides have similar molecular structures, differing only in the substitutions on the pyrazole ring. Chemical hydrolysis is a primary process affecting the environmental fate of sulfonylurea pesticides. The hydrolytic transformation kinetics of PE and HM were investigated as a function of pH and temperature. For both herbicides, the hydrolysis rate was pH-dependent and increased with increasing temperature. The hydrolysis of both sulfonylureas was much faster in acidic or basic media than under neutral conditions. Identification of hydrolytic products by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) suggested that both PE and HM were subject to cleavage and contraction of the sulfonylurea bridge. The hydrolysis rate of HM was significantly higher than that of PE in alkaline solutions, despite their structural similarity. A chlorine substitution on HM's pyrazole ring makes HM more susceptible to bridge contraction than PE under basic conditions. The hydrolysis of HM and PE was relatively unaffected by the presence of cyclic oligosaccharides (cyclodextrins), indicating that natural OH-containing organic compounds occurring in aquatic environments may have little impact on the transformation of these sulfonylurea herbicides.     

新农药甲硫嘧磺隆的醇解动力学及机理研究

甲硫嘧磺隆,试验代号为HNPC-C9908,化学名称为2-（4-甲氧基-6-甲硫基嘧啶-2-基）氨基甲酰基氨基磺酰基苯甲酸甲酯,是我国具有自主知识产权的新型磺酰脲类除草剂,主要用于麦田杂草的防除。采用HPLC和LC/MS研究了甲硫嘧磺隆的醇解动力学及其机理。结果表明,甲硫嘧磺隆在甲醇和乙醇中可发生快速的醇解反应,并可用一级动力学方程很好描述,其醇解半衰期分别为10.6和11.6 d,说明醇解反应可能是磺酰脲类化合物的普遍特征之一。甲硫嘧磺隆的醇解反应因温度、pH值、甲醇含量以及有效成分浓度而异。甲硫嘧磺隆的醇解速率随温度升高而加快,其在15、25、35和45 ℃等4个温度下的醇解半衰期分别为41.0 d、10.6 d、3.8 d和13.0 h,温度效应系数为28.06;甲硫嘧磺隆醇解反应的活化能和活化焓与温度之间无明显相关性,其平均活化能和活化焓分别为186.28和183.71 kJ·mol^-1,而活化熵绝对值则随温度升高而增加,表现出良好的相关性,其平均活化熵为－11.28 kJ·mol^-1·K^-1,说明甲硫嘧磺隆的醇解主要为双分子亲核取代反应;甲硫嘧磺隆在酸性醇液中的降解速率明显快于中性和碱性醇溶液中的降解速率,其在pH5、7和9的甲醇液中的醇解半衰期分别为6.8、172.2和109.5 d;当甲醇含量为40%、50%、60%、70％、80％、90％和100％时,甲硫嘧磺隆的降解半衰期为27．8、30．7、30．1、43．3、42．5、43．9和10．6d,而在纯水中的半衰期为29．4d;在浓度较低（5mg·L^-1）时,甲硫嘧磺隆的醇解速率较慢,其醇解半衰期为32．2d,而当增加到10和20mg·L^-1时,对甲硫嘧磺隆的醇解速率影响不大。甲硫嘧磺隆醇解的主要途径是分子中脲桥裂解生成2-苯甲酸甲酯基磺酰基氨基甲酸酯和2-氨基-4-甲氧基-6-甲硫基嘧啶。     

Comparison of the lipase activity in hydrolysis and acyl transfer reactions of two latex plant extracts from babaco (Vasconcellea x Heilbornii Cv.) and Plumeria rubra: Effect of the Aqueous microenvironment

The enzymatic properties of Plumeria rubra latex have been evaluated for the first time, showing a high activity in both hydrolysis and synthesis reactions, and compared to the biocatalytic behavior of babaco (Vasconcellea x Heilbornii cv.) latex. Both biocatalysts have been optimized by studying the various parameters that influence reaction kinetics. The optimum temperatures for hydrolysis reactions were 50 and 55 degrees C for babaco and Plumeria, respectively. The optimum pH for babaco latex was 7, whereas for Plumeria latex, two optimal pH values (4 and 7) were observed. With regard to esterification and acyl transfer reactions such as alcoholysis and interesterification, the influence of thermodynamic water activity on reaction yields was determined and correlated with water sorption and desorption isotherms. When babaco latex is used as a biocatalyst, optimal synthesis reaction yields are obtained when the enzymatic extract is stabilized at a water activity value of 0.38, which corresponds to a water content of 5.7%. This optimal level of hydration is located on the linear portion of the biocatalyst's sorption isotherm, where the water molecules exhibit high-energy interactions with the protein network. In synthesis reactions (esterification, alcoholysis, and interesterification) biocatalyzed by Plumeria latex, correlation between best reaction yields and water activity cannot be done. Indeed, the sorption isotherm plot has an atypical shape, indicating that water might be trapped in the latex matrix and, consequently, that the water content of the biocatalyst is highly dependent on the hydration history of the latex.     

Effects of soil pH and soil water content on prosulfuron dissipation

The sulfonylurea herbicide prosulfuron, 1-(4-methoxy-6-methyltriazin-2-yl)-3-[2-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)phenylsulfonyl]urea, is used for the selective control of broadleaf weeds in corn, sorghum, and cereal grains. To investigate its fate in soils, this study examined the effects of soil pH and water content on the rates of dissipation processes and the products formed under aerobic conditions. Radiometry and chromatography analyses were used to quantify the degradation products and bound residues formed in incubations of 10 different soils. The pH-dependent hydrolysis of the sulfonylurea bridge to form phenyl sulfonamide was the primary transformation process. Significant microbial degradation of prosulfuron occurred in 2 of the 10 soils, yielding (14)CO(2) and desmethyl prosulfuron among the major products. The time required for 50% dissipation of the herbicide (DT(50)) was determined for each soil and water content treatment. At equivalent water contents, prosulfuron DT(50) values were positively correlated with soil pH (P < 0.0001), varying from 6.5 days at pH 5.4 to 122.9 days at pH 7.9. Soil pH and water content strongly influence the fate of sulfonylurea herbicides in agricultural fields. Differences in the effect of soil water content on dissipation kinetics in a comparison of two soils were attributed to differences in soil pH, texture, and the ability of indigenous microorganisms to transform the herbicide.     

基质固相分散萃取-高效液相色谱串联质谱法测定土壤中残留的磺酰脲类除草剂

建立了基质固相分散萃取-高效液相色谱串联质谱法(MSPD-HPLC-MS/MS)测定土壤中3种磺酰脲类除草剂(氯磺隆、甲磺隆、苯磺隆)残留的分析方法。对基于球磨的基质固相分散萃取条件进行了详细优化,最终确定最佳条件为:0.2 g土壤样品、0.8 g HC-C18粉末状分散剂与直径为8 mm的小钢珠一起球磨10 min后,转移至空的玻璃萃取小柱,用10 m L乙腈洗脱,氮气吹干后用甲醇定容至0.6 m L,再经0.22μm的滤膜抽滤后装入自动进样瓶中。用Syncronis C18反相色谱柱分离,以甲醇(A)~1‰甲酸溶液(B)为流动相进行梯度洗脱,选择反应监测(SRM)模式下进行检测。氯磺隆在20~200μg·kg~(-1),甲磺隆和苯磺隆在10~200μg·kg~(-1)范围内线性良好,相关系数r在0.997 9~0.999 5。土壤样品的平均加标回收率在84.7%~104.6%,相对标准偏差在4.5%~7.9%(n=5)。方法的检出限(S/N=3)0.32~0.68μg·kg~(-1)。该方法简单、效率高、干扰少、回收率高,满足土壤中除草剂的残留分析要求。     

Acid- and base-catalyzed hydrolysis of chloroacetamide herbicides

Despite the prevalence of chloroacetamides as herbicides, little is known about the rates or products of acid- or base-catalyzed hydrolysis of these compounds. Mechanisms of acid-catalyzed reactions may parallel those catalyzed by (hydr)oxide minerals, while base-catalyzed processes have as important counterparts reactions with environmental nucleophiles (such as reduced sulfur species). The current study systematically investigates how the structure of nine chloroacetamides affects their reactivity in 2 N NaOH, 2 N HCl, or 6 N HCl at 25 or 85 degrees C. Base-catalyzed hydrolysis proceeds either through an intermolecular SN2 reaction to hydroxy-substituted derivatives or (in a few cases) through amide cleavage, while both amide and ether group cleavages are observed under acidic conditions. Our results reveal that subtle differences in chloroacetamide structure [notably the type of (alkoxy)alkyl substituent] can dramatically influence reactivity and reaction mechanism. Hydroxy-substituted, morpholinone, and secondary aniline derivatives were identified upon reaction for several years in deionized water at circumneutral pH.     

Hydrolysis of sulfonylurea herbicides in soils and aqueous solutions: a review

Sulfonylureas are a unique group of herbicides used for controlling a range of weeds and some grasses in a variety of crops and vegetables. They have been extremely popular worldwide because of their low mammalian toxicity, low use rate, and unprecedented herbicidal activity. Knowledge about the fate and behavior of sulfonylurea herbicides in the soil-water environment appears to be of utmost importance for agronomic systems and environmental protection. Because these herbicides are applied at a very low rate, and their mobility is greatly affected by the chemicals' anionic nature in alkaline soils, a thorough understanding of their degradation/hydrolysis processes and mechanisms under aqueous and soil systems is important. This review brings together published information on the hydrolysis of several sulfonylureas in aqueous and soil solutions that includes the effects of pH, temperature, functional relationship between pH vs hydrolysis rate constants, and hydrolysis behavior of sulfonylureas in the presence of minerals. In addition, the transformations of sulfonylureas in soil, under laboratory and field experiments, have been discussed in connection with the compounds' varied structural features, i.e., sulfonylueas that are with or without the pyridinic, pyrimidine, and triazinic ring.     

Structural elucidation of phototransformation products of azimsulfuron in water

The photodegradation of the sulfonylurea herbicide azimsulfuron, N-[[(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]-1-methyl-4-(2-methyl-2H-tetrazole-5-yl)-1H-pyrazole-5-sulfonamide (AZS), was studied in water at different wavelengths and in the presence of photocatalysts. AZS was rapidly degraded by UV light, affording three photoproducts. The main product, accounting for about 70% of photodegraded herbicide, was identified as 6-amino-5-[(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)methylamino]-1,5,6,8-tetrahydro-7-oxa-8lambda(6)-tia-1,2,5,6-tetraza-azulen-4-one (ADTA) by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. With simulated sunlight irradiation, the reaction was slower and 2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine (DPA) and 1-methyl-4-(2-methyl-2H-tetrazole-5-yl)-1H-pyrazole-5-sulfonamide (MPS), arising from a photohydrolytic cleavage of the sulfonylurea bridge, were the only byproducts observed. The reactions followed first-order kinetics. The addition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) did not modify significantly the AZS photodegradation rate. The presence of Fe2O3 accelerated more than twice the reaction rate affording two major products, DPA and MPS, together with minor amounts of N-[[(5-hydroxy-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]-1-methyl-4-(2-methyl-2H-tetrazole-5-yl)-1H-pyrazole-5-sulfonamide (AZS-OH). The greatest degradation rate was detected in the presence of TiO2. Only the photohydroxylation product AZS-OH was observed, which was transformed rapidly into oxalic acid.     

Organic amendments from olive cake as a strategy to modify the degradation of sulfonylurea herbicides in soil

Amending soil with products rich in organic matter, such as raw olive cake or alperujo and its compost and vermicompost, could be a simple bioremediation strategy for soil pollutants such as pesticides. To investigate this hypothesis in relation to sulfonylurea herbicides, these amendments were applied to a Mediterranean agricultural soil at rates 4 times higher than agronomical dosage to stimulate biodegradation of chlorsulfuron, prosulfuron, and bensulfuron, added in a mixture to the soils. Degradation studies were conducted in microbially active and sterile soils to check the importance of biological and chemical degradation of sulfonylurea herbicides in nonamended and amended soil. The addition of alperujo stimulated soil microbial activity, as determined by dehydrogenase activity measurements, but it did not enhance the degradation of the sulfonylurea herbicides. In contrast, compost and vermicompost slightly favored the biological degradation of bensulfuron during the first week of incubation. Chlorsulfuron and prosulfuron were mainly degraded by chemical pathways in all substrates, which is probably due to a competitive or inhibitory phenomenon observed between chlorsulfuron and bensulfuron. The first-order kinetic equation satisfactorily explained the experimental data for chlorsulfuron and prosulfuron; however, a biphasic model, such as that proposed by Hoerl, better predicted the results obtained for bensulfuron.     

High-yield preparation of wax esters via lipase-catalyzed esterification using fatty acids and alcohols from crambe and camelina oils

Fatty acids obtained from seed oils of crambe (Crambe abyssinica) and camelina (Camelina sativa) via alkaline saponification or steam splitting were esterified using lipases as biocatalysts with oleyl alcohol and the alcohols derived from crambe and camelina oils via hydrogenolysis of their methyl esters. Long-chain wax esters were thus obtained in high yields when Novozym 435 (immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica) and papaya (Carica papaya) latex lipase were used as biocatalysts and vacuum was applied to remove the water formed. The highest conversions to wax esters were obtained with Novozym 435 (> or =95%) after 4-6 h of reaction, whereas with papaya latex lipase such a high degree of conversion was attained after 24 h. Products obtained from stoichiometric amounts of substrates were almost exclusively (>95%) composed of wax esters having compositions approaching that of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) oil, especially when crambe fatty acids in combination with camelina alcohols or camelina fatty acids in combination with crambe alcohols were used as substrates.     

Flazasulfuron: alcoholysis, chemical hydrolysis, and degradation on various minerals

The herbicide flazasulfuron undergoes rapid alcoholysis. High yields of the corresponding carbamate and aminopyrimidine are obtained after the alcoholysis process (methanol or ethanol) at 30 degrees C, in the course of which the concomitant rearrangement reaction remains minor. Hydrolysis (pH ranging from 5 to 11) of flazasulfuron at 30 degrees C principally involves the rearrangement into urea after elimination of SO(2) and can lead, in a small proportion, to both aminopyrimidine and pyridinesulfonamide. First-order kinetics correctly describes the rates of alcoholysis and hydrolysis. The sulfonylurea-bridge contraction and final transformation into the correspondent amine were evaluated with a first-order kinetics hypothesis. Transformations in amine and urea in aqueous medium are pH dependent. The chemical degradation of flazasulfuron on various dry minerals (calcium bentonite, kaolinite, silica, montmorillonite, and alumina) was investigated at 30 degrees C. The rearrangement reaction is the only one observed in the presence of kaolinite and alumina. However, hydrolysis and rearrangement have the same reaction rate in the presence of silica. The hydrolysis paths of flazasulfuron are comparable to the ones described for rimsulfuron.     

Nicosulfuron: alcoholysis, chemical hydrolysis, and degradation on various minerals.

Alcoholysis (methanol or ethanol) and hydrolysis (pH ranging from 4 to 11) of the herbicide nicosulfuron at 30 degrees C principally involves the breakdown of the urea part of the molecule. A high yield of the corresponding carbamate was obtained along with aminopyrimidine during alcoholysis. Hydrolysis led to both aminopyrimidine and pyridylsulfonamide. The latter compound may be easily cyclized (pH > or = 7). First-order kinetics describe the rates of alcoholysis and hydrolysis well. The rate constants (0.44 days(-1) for methanolysis) decreased from 0.50 to 0.002 days(-1) as pH increased from 4 to 8, then remained stable under alkaline conditions. In acidic or neutral solution, the hydrolysis path appeared prevalent (> or =70%), whereas in an alkaline medium it decreased when pH increased. The chemical degradation of nicosulfuron on various dry minerals (calcium bentonite, kaolinite, silica gel, H(+) bentonite, montmorillonite K10, and alumina) was investigated at 30 degrees C. The best conditions for the degradation are obtained on acidic minerals after herbicide deposition using the liquid method. Under these conditions an acceptable correlation with pseudo-first-order kinetics was observed, and the major degradation path is similar to that proposed for chemical hydrolysis. Conversely, alumina seemed to favor other unknown degradation processes. The hydrolysis paths of nicosulfuron and rimsulfuron appeared to be different.     

Some characteristics of sugar ester nonionic microemulsions in view of possible food applications

This study explores some characteristics of microemulsions composed of sucrose monostearate (SMS), medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), or R-(+)-limonene, alcohols, and water. The systems are homogeneous, soft, and waxy solids at room temperature but liquefy and structure into homogeneous microemulsions when heated to >40 degrees C. The amount of solubilized water is enhanced as a function of the alcohol/oil ratio and is inversely proportional to the alcohol chain length. Over 60 wt % water can be solubilized in systems consisting of propanol/MCT/SMS at a weight ratio of 3:1:4 (initial weight ratio). These microemulsions are unique and differ from nonionic ethoxylated-based microemulsions in that their viscosity is very low and is reduced with increasing amounts of solubilized water. The electrical conductivity increases only slightly as a function of the water content and does not show typical bicontinuous or percolated behavior. The water in the core of the microemulsion strongly binds to the headgroups of the surfactant. Only at >15 wt % solubilization of water was free or bulk water detected in the core of the microemulsions. Such unique behavior of the core water might have a possible application in systems requiring monitoring of enzymatic (lipase) reactions carried out in the microemulsions as microreactors.     

Effects of organic amendment and herbicide treatment on soil microbial biomass

 The interactive effects of vermi-compost from sewage sludge and either the sulfonylurea herbicide, rimsulfuron, or the imidazolinone herbicide, imazethapyr, on some soil biochemical and microbiological properties were investigated. The herbicides were applied at field and 10-fold field rates. Both herbicides exerted a detrimental effect on soil microbial biomass and its biochemical properties. Even though the effect of both herbicides on soil microbial biomass was not detectable at the field rate, some significant influences on acid and alkaline phosphatase were observed. The higher rate of herbicide application impaired the observed microbial parameters to a greater degree. The detrimental effects seemed to be reduced by organic amendments. Among the studied microbial characteristics, the specific respiration quotient was particularly reliable and sensitive in determining the influence of herbicides on the soil microbial biomass. In this paper a new synthetic index, specific hydrolytic activity (qFDA), for assessing microbial activity in reply to xenobiotic treatments is proposed. Received: 31 May 1999     

Abiotic reduction of pendimethalin and trifluralin in controlled and natural systems containing Fe(II) and dissolved organic matter

The environmental fate of dinitroaniline herbicides is poorly understood, despite their classification as Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This study investigated the abiotic reduction of pendimethalin and trifluralin in controlled laboratory systems in the presence of Fe(II) and fulvic acids isolated from various surface waters and in sediment pore waters containing naturally abundant levels of dissolved Fe(II) and dissolved organic matter (DOM). It was found that Fe(II) was necessary for pendimethalin and trifluralin reduction to occur in controlled systems and that higher concentrations of DOM slowed Fe(II)-mediated reactions. Pendimethalin and trifluralin reduction in natural pore waters was roughly an order of magnitude slower compared to controlled Fe(II)-DOM solutions, indicating that the reactive Fe(II) species responsible for reduction are concentration-limited in natural pore waters relative to controlled systems. The results show that caution must be exercised when extrapolating results from controlled system reactions to natural systems and that abiotic reduction of both trifluralin and pendimethalin is observed within 3-7 days in anaerobic sedimentary pore waters containing high concentrations of both dissolved Fe(II) and DOM.     

重金属、磺酰脲类除草剂的植物基因应答及其交互作用

土壤污染日益成为威胁人类生存的重要问题,而且正呈现出多元化和复杂化的特点。土壤的重金属污染已被重点研究,大量与金属阳离子吸收、分布和解毒相关的通道蛋白、螯合剂以及伴侣蛋白的编码基因被发现和克隆;而土壤的农药污染,特别是磺酰脲类除草剂类污染研究却还主要集中在生理生化水平上。同时,两者复合污染研究更是鲜有报道,总体还处于探索阶段。本文重点将对现阶段重金属与磺酰脲类除草剂单因素的植物基因应答及其复合污染交互作用的研究进展,在基因类型和作用等方面分别进行综合性分析与阐述,并结合环境污染现状和国际研究前沿提出了今后研究的主要方向。     

Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) thermochemolysis of lignin: behavior of 4-O-etherified cinnamyl alcohols and aldehydes

The thermochemolytic behavior of 4-O-etherified cinnamyl alcohols and aldehydes in lignin was investigated in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) (315 degrees C/4 s), using veratrylglycol-beta-(coniferyl alcohol) ether (1a), veratrylglycol-beta-(sinapyl alcohol) ether (1b), and veratrylglycol-beta-(coniferyl aldehyde) ether (2). The methylated products were monitored with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Dimers 1a and 1b provided the coniferyl and sinapyl alcohol dimethyl ethers consisting of three isomers, respectively. Coniferyl alcohol dimethyl ether isomers were also observed in the TMAH thermochemolysis pyrolysates of a bulk dehydrogenation polymer of coniferyl alcohol and a Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) wood. Coniferyl aldehyde methyl ether was not provided from TMAH thermochemolyses of coniferyl aldehyde, 2, a dehydrogenation polymer of coniferyl aldehyde, and the cedar wood. The former three provided veratryl aldehyde in a large abundance, instead of coniferyl aldehyde methyl ether. Sinapyl aldehyde provided 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde in a large abundance and sinapyl aldehyde methyl ether in a trace abundance. The results showed that TMAH thermochemolysis is an effective tool to obtain information on cinnamyl alcohol end groups, but is not applicable to analysis of cinnamyl aldehyde end groups.     

Degradation of four phenylurea herbicides by mixed populations of microorganisms from two soil types

The metabolism of four substituted urea herbicides by microbial populations from two soils was investigated. The herbicides were two dimethylurea herbicides (fluometuron and chloroxuron) and two methoxymethylphenylurea herbicides (metobromuron and chlorbromuron), and the two soils used were Louisiana Commerce Loam and Indiana Silt Loam. The dimethyl compounds were successively N-demethylated by microorganisms from both soils. N-demethylation of the methoxymethyl herbicides, however, was significant only in the Louisiana soil, while N-demethoxylation was found in only trace amounts in all the cultures. Metabolism of these herbicides apparently was predominantly via direct hydrolysis to the aniline, which in turn underwent further transformations.     

新一代除草剂在推进环境质量中的作用

新一代除草剂具有用药量少、除草活性高、选择性强、对哺乳动物低毒(对人的毒性甚至低于日常生活中的食盐)、在环境中易降解、在非靶标有机体内无积累作用等优良特性。这些特性正有效地改善当今的环境质量。80年代初发展起来的磺酰脲类除草剂是最具代表性的品种。本文介绍该类除草剂在国内外的发展简况,它们的优良特性在改善农业生态环境质量中的作用,以及在我国应用的意义。     

Kinetics and mechanism of imazosulfuron hydrolysis

Knowledge of the kinetics and pathways of hydrolytic degradation is crucial to the prediction of the fate and transport mechanism of chemicals. This work first describes the kinetics of the chemical hydrolysis of imazosulfuron, a new sulfonylurea herbicide, and evaluates the results to propose a degradation pathway. The hydrolysis of imazosulfuron has been studied in aqueous buffers both within the pH range 1.9-12.3 at ambient temperature (thermostated at 25 +/- 2 degrees C) and at pH 3.6 within the temperature range of 15-55 degrees C. The hydrolysis rate of imazosulfuron was characterized by a first-order kinetics, pH- and temperature-dependent, and accelerated by acidic conditions and higher temperatures. The calculated half-lives at pH 4.5 and 5.9 were 36.5 and 578 days, respectively. At pH 6.6, 7.4, 9.2, and 12.3 no significant change in imazosulfuron concentration was observed after 150 days. Half-lives were much lower at pH <4 (= imazosulfuron pK(a)), at which they ranged from 3.3 to 6.3 days. Moreover, a change in temperature from 15 to 25 degrees C in acidic conditions (pH 3.6) decreased the half-life of imazosulfuron by a factor of approximately 4.0; in any case, a 3-5-fold increase in the rate of hydrolysis was found for each 10 degrees C increase in temperature. In acidic conditions the only hydrolysis products were the two molecules resulting from the cleavage of the sulfonylurea bridge.