Destruction of halogen-containing pesticides by means of detonation combustion

Abstract

Pesticides that contain a halogen functional group have been destructed by means of detonative combustion. The following compounds were examined: (1) atrazine—2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-triazine—herbicide; (2) bromophos—O,4-bromo-2,5-dichlorophenyl O,O-dimethyl phosphorothioate—insecticide; (3) chloridazon—5-amino-4-chloro-2-phenylopyridazin-3(2H)-one—herbicide; (4) linuron—3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-metoxy-1-methylurea—herbicide; (5) metoxychlor—1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-metoxyphenyl)ethane—insecticide and acaricide; and (6) trichlorfon—dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethylphosphonate—insecticide. Explosive material has been produced on the basis of ammonium nitrate, which served as an oxidizer while the pesticides were used as fuels. Composition of the explosive was adjusted in such a way as to respect thermodynamic parameters. Detonative decomposition of the mixtures has been carried out in shot-holes pre-drilled in soil. Efficiency of the pesticide decomposition has been examined with gas chromatography in order to determine pesticides residues in the environment. It was found that for some, the amount of pesticides in some compounds in the analyzed samples after decomposition was below the determination threshold of the applied method.