Leaching, mobility and persistence of tebufenozide in columns packed with forest litter and soil

Leaching, downward mobility and persistence of tebufenozide was investigated under laboratory conditions in columns packed with forest litter and soil, after fortification with the analytical grade material (purity > 99.6%) and with two commercial formulations, RH-5992 2F (aqueous flowable) and RH-5992 ES (emulsion suspension). Two types of litter and soil were used: one type with relatively high amounts of sand and the other with high amounts of clay. The concentrations eluted in the leachates were lower when the analytical material (dissolved in acetone) was used for fortification, than when the two formulations (diluted with water) were used. The amount leached was higher for RH-5992 2F than for RH-5992 ES. The type of substrate, i.e., sandy or clay type, had only marginal influence on the amounts eluted in the leachates. Downward movement of tebufenozide from the top 2-cm layer to the untreated middle and bottom layers (3-cm segments) was consistently lower when the analytical material was used for fortification, than when the two formulations were used. Downward movement was higher for RH-5992 2F than for RH-5992 ES. Persistence of tebufenozide in substrates, maintained under submerged conditions for 70 days after leaching, indicated an initial 2-week lag period prior to the onset of degradation. Formulation-related differences were observed in the half-life (DT50) values. When the analytical material was used for fortification, the DT50 ranged from ca 54 to 59 d. However, when the formulations were used for fortification, the DT50 showed a higher range, i.e., from ca 62 to 67 d for RH-5992 2F and ca 70 to DT 80 d for RH-5992 ES. Formulation ingredients appear to have caused enhanced adsorption of tebufenozide onto the substrates, thus delaying degradation.