Case Study in Environmental Chemistry....

Authors: Sarunya Hengpraprom and Cindy Lee, Environmental Engineering and Science, Clemson University.

Abstract : This case study considers the rate at which exposure to sunlight can transform a pesticide known as terbufos. Transformation of a contaminant by photolysis will change its behavior in a given situation. In some cases, a product of photolysis is just as toxic or more toxic than the parent compound. In other cases, the products of photolysis are rendered nontoxic and the transformation can be considered beneficial. The experiment described in this case study produced some of the first basic kinetics data available to evaluate the importance of photolysis as a process to remove terbufos from the environment. For more detailed information about this research, see Lee, C. M.; Anderson, B.; and Elzerman, A. W. 1999. Photochemical oxidation of terbufos. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 18(7):1349-1353.

Research Objective

This research measured the specific rate constant for the disappearance of terbufos in the absence and presence of sunlight, and then evaluated the significance of the photolysis rates in relation to other environmental transformation processes for terbufos.