Persistence, fate, and metabolism of [(14)C]metalaxyl in typical Indian soils.

The biodegradation of ring-labeled [(14)C]metalaxyl in six Indian soils was examined. The total recovery of radioactivity from soil was 100 +/- 6% of the applied radioactivity. Volatile organics and (14)CO(2) were detected at lower levels. This suggests that neither mineralization nor volatilization is a major route of metalaxyl dissipation. The most rapid degradation of metalaxyl was observed in Bannimantap soil, in which the half-life of metalaxyl was 36 days. An inverse relationship was found when half-lives were plotted against microbial biomass and soil clay content. However, soil total organic carbon did not correlate with metalaxyl persistence. Five metabolites detected by thin-layer chromatography were more polar than metalaxyl.