Electrochemical determination of the effect of copper(ii) on the photochemical degradation of the pesticide metamitron

Summary

The complexation of the pesticide Metamitron by copper was investigated by polarography, anodic stripping voltammetry and cathodic stripping voltammetry. The influence of the pH on the complexation was determined and a maximum value for the conditional stability constant of the copper‐metamitron complex (log β'=3.8) was obtained at pH 5.6.

An investigation into the photochemical degradation of the pesticide demonstrated that copper decreases the degradation rate of metamitron by 15% within the first 30 days, due to stabilisation by complexation.

Key words:

• Metamitron
• pesticide
• copper complexation
• stripping voltammetry
• degradation

Notes

To whom correspondence should be addressed