FORMATION OF N-NITROSOTERBUTHYLAZINE AND N-NITROSOTERBUTRYN IN A MODEL SYSTEM OF SOIL-WATER

The s-triazines terbutryn and terbuthylazine are currently used in Ita ly for weed control. A possible reaction of these compounds in the env ironment is N-nitrosation. Experiments performed in 10 mM CaCl2 as a m odel of soil water indicated that N-nitrosation is favored only at low pH values and that the N-nitroso derivatives are fairly stable. In th e presence of soil either parent compounds or N-nitroso derivatives ar e strongly adsorbed. These results seem to indicate that the possibili ty of formation of N-nitrosoterbuthylazine and N-nitrosoterbutryn in c ommon agricultural soil is very remote.