| Abstract: | The behaviour of fipronil, a phenylpyrazole insecticide used for locust control, was studied under sub-Saharan conditions in soils of the Niamey region of Niger. A formulation of fipronil (Adonis®) was applied to uncultivated soils at Banizoumbou and Saguia. Soil was sampled at 0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm depths for up to two months after treatment. Residues were analysed by gas chromatography using electron capture and mass detectors. For both soils, a rapid initial decrease of fipronil was observed, with rapid formation for the most part of a photodegradate. Three other metabolites of fipronil were also detected throughout the study. These metabolites displayed different dissipation kinetics. Fipronil and its metabolites did not move beyond 10 cm depth, except for the amide, which is not considered a toxicologically significant metabolite. © 1998 SCI. |
