Stability of parathion and DDT in dilute iron solutions.

Dilute FeCl3 and Fe(NO3)3 solutions degraded parathion to paraoxon and p-nitrophenol. Initial hydrolysis products of iron appeared to have the greatest catalytic activity which decreased as these hydrolysis products aged. The Fe3+ ion was less catalytically active than its hydrolysis products for parathion degradation. pH was not a factor in parathion degradation in this study. AlCl3 solutions did not degrade parathion over a 336 hour period. DDT was stable in dilute FeCl3 and Fe(NO3)3 solutions for at least 56 days.