Influence of different abiotic and biotic factors on the metalaxyl and carbofuran dissipation.

Metalaxyl and carbofuran dissipation was studied in response to different factors (soil bacterial communities, light irradiation, presence of an inorganic culture medium and presence of soil) and combinations of these factors in short-term experiments (48 h). The soil microbial communities have no effect on metalaxyl or carbofuran dissipation in the time scale employed. Light irradiation and soil promote metalaxyl and carbofuran dissipation by photodegradation and adsorption, respectively. However, photodegradation has a stronger effect on metalaxyl and carbofuran dissipation than the adsorption of the pesticides in the soil. The addition of the culture medium have no direct effect on pesticide dissipation, degradation by microbial communities or adsorption but its presence greatly increased photodegradation.