Photolysis, Hydrolysis of Imidacloprid and Its Degradation in Soil

The photolysis, hydrolysis of imidacloprid in three buffer solutions with different pH values and the degradation of imidacloprid in Northeast China black soil, Jiangsu Taihu paddy soil and Jiangxi red soil were studied in laboratory. The results of the study show that the photochemical reaction of imidacloprid in aqueous solutions irradiated by 300 W low voltage mercurial lamp fitted to the first order dynamic equation, and its photolysis half life was 6.81 h. The results also show that the hydrolysis half life of imidacloprid in three buffer solutions with pH values of 5, 7 and 9 were 30.6, 13.6 and 8.0 d separately; the degradation half life of imidacloprid in Northeast China black soil, Jiangsu Taihu paddy soil and Jiangxi red soil were 10.7, 11.1 and 4.1 d separately.