Degradation of the Herbicide Butachlor by Laboratory-synthesized Nanoscale in Batch Experiments

Degradation of the herbicide butachlor was investigated using laboratory-synthesized zerovalent iron ($Fe^0$). The synthesized zerovalent iron was determined to be nanoscale powder by scanning electron microscopic analysis. To investigate degradation of butachlor using the synthesized nanoscale zerovalent iron, time-course batch experiments were conducted by treating the solution of butachlor formulation with the iron. More than 90% degradation of butachlor was observed by iron treatment within 24 h. The synthesized nanoscale zerovalent iron showed an increase in particle aggregation in the batch tests. Green rust formation and a pH drop in solutions were observed, suggesting that the oxidation of the iron occurred. When the iron was extracted with dichloromethane, a negligible concentration was found in the extract, suggesting that butachlor did not bind to the iron particles. GC/MS analysis detected the dechlorinated product as a major degradation product of butachlor in the solutions. The data indicate that laboratory-synthesized zerovalent iron functioned as a reductant to remove electron-withdrawing chlorine, giving the dechlorinated product.