TY - JOUR

T1 - Transformations of pesticides in the atmosphere

T2 - A state of the art

AU - Atkinson, Roger

AU - Guicherit, Rob

AU - Hites, Ronald A.

AU - Palm, Wolf Ulrich

AU - Seiber, James N.

AU - De Voogt, Pim

PY - 1999/10

Y1 - 1999/10

N2 - The current knowledge about transformation rates and products of pesticides in the atmosphere is reviewed. Reactive species and their concentrations in the atmosphere are presented. Reactions of pesticides with these species (including photolysis) in the gas and the particulate phase are evaluated from available experimental data. The potential of estimation methods is discussed. Experimental techniques for laboratory and outdoor measurements are reviewed. Finally, an estimation is made of uncertainties in atmospheric lifetimes due to chemical or physical reactions. It is concluded that the most important transformation of pesticides in the atmosphere is due to reaction with OH radicals. Very few experimental data for pesticides are available though. The levels of uncertainty in OH radical concentrations are acceptable, however, for a proper estimation of atmospheric removal rates due to reactions with OH radicals of those pesticides for which experimental transformation rates (of homologues) are available.

AB - The current knowledge about transformation rates and products of pesticides in the atmosphere is reviewed. Reactive species and their concentrations in the atmosphere are presented. Reactions of pesticides with these species (including photolysis) in the gas and the particulate phase are evaluated from available experimental data. The potential of estimation methods is discussed. Experimental techniques for laboratory and outdoor measurements are reviewed. Finally, an estimation is made of uncertainties in atmospheric lifetimes due to chemical or physical reactions. It is concluded that the most important transformation of pesticides in the atmosphere is due to reaction with OH radicals. Very few experimental data for pesticides are available though. The levels of uncertainty in OH radical concentrations are acceptable, however, for a proper estimation of atmospheric removal rates due to reactions with OH radicals of those pesticides for which experimental transformation rates (of homologues) are available.

KW - Atmospheric lifetimes

KW - Pesticides

KW - Reaction rates

KW - Transformation products

KW - Chemistry

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033215225&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1023/A:1005286313693

DO - 10.1023/A:1005286313693

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:0033215225

VL - 115

SP - 219

EP - 243

JO - Water, Air, and Soil Pollution

JF - Water, Air, and Soil Pollution

SN - 0049-6979

IS - 1-4

ER -