Photolysis and degradation of Thanite in cotton plants and artificial rumen

Abstract

SUMMARYThin-layer chromatography and infra-red spectrosoopy were used to identify the components of technical Thanite. A method is developed for qualitative and quantitative determination using a gas liquid chromatograph (GLC) equipped with a flame ionization detector. Two major peaks, having retention times 1 and 5 min, were obtained. This was achieved using a glass column (15 × 0·3 cm), packed with diethylene glycol (1·5%) on chromosorb W, 60–80 mesh, at temperature range 70–170 °C. The results obtained by GLC showed that 33·7–55·8%, and 36·6–68·3% of the initial deposit of Thanite on cotton leaves degraded within 12 h from exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet irradiation respectively. One fifth of the initial deposit of Thanite on cotton leaves was lost after 24 h from spraying, then 70 % of the compound was dissipated after 3 days. Incubation of Thanite with rumen liquor at 39 °C for 24 h under anaerobic conditions resulted in degradation of 45–74% of the initial concentration.