Identification of Degradation Products of Terbutol in Environmental Water from Golf Courses

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jf00054a057

Degradation products of terbutol (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl N-methylcarbamate) in drainage and ground water from golf courses, on which terbutol had been applied as a herbicide, were identified by capillary GC/MS and reversed-phase HPLC. terbutol and 4-carboxy-, N-demethyl-, and 4-carboxy-N-demethylterbutol were detected in all water samples at concentrations of parts per billion levels.In addition, 4-(hydroxymethyl)- and 4-formylterbutol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT), and 4-(hydroxymethyl)-, 4-formyl-, and 4-carboxy-BHT were observed in some water samples at concentrations of parts per thousand levels.These results demonstrated that terbutol applied on golf courses was mainly degraded by N-demethylation, oxidation of the 4-methyl group, and hydrolysis of the carbamate ester linkage. Keywords:Terbutol; 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl N-methylcarbamate; identification; degradation