OCCURRENCE OF ALACHLOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION PRODUCTS IN GROUNDWATER

Groundwater samples collected beneath a Massachusetts corn field were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. In addition to alach lor, 20 compounds were detected whose El and CIMS data indicated that they were derived from alachlor, presumably via environmental degradat ion. Structural assignments were confirmed for six of these compounds by analysis of standards. They were among 10 alachlor-related compound s that were synthesized by use of either the parent compound or 2,6-di ethylaniline as starting material. To our knowledge, none of the confi rmed compounds have previously been reported in groundwater samples. T he concentration range of the degradation products ranged from 4 to 57 0 ng L(-1). In all samples, the total concentration of the degradation products exceeded the parent compound concentration by at least 2-fol d.