Degradation of rice pesticides and their stability during storage of samples

Transformation of pesticides is directly related to the environmental condi tions during application and transport of these compounds in the ecosystem. Rice fields include peculiar conditions, relatively high temperatures and wet conditions, leading to degradation processes, different from that obser ved in other agricultural systems. This article presents the degradation ro utes of some characteristic rice insecticides and herbicides under field co nditions. A compilation of the pesticides that are usually applied during r ice cultivation is included, with their main physico-chemical parameters. T he stability of the pesticides by solid phase extraction systems during sto rage of rice samples is also discussed.