The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac is readily biodegradable in agricultural soils

Diclofenac 2-[2-[(2 6-dichlorophenyl)amino]phenyl]acetic acid is an important non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug widely used for human and animals to reduce inflammation and pain Diclofenac could potentially reach agricultural lands through the application of municipal biosolids or wastewater and in the absence of any environmental fate data we evaluated its persistence in agricultural soils incubated in the laboratory C-14-Diclofenac was rapidly mineralized without a lag when added to soils varying widely in texture (sandy loam loam clay loam) Over a range of temperature and moisture conditions extractable C-14-diclofenac residues decreased with half lives <5 days No extractable transformation products were detectable by HPLC Diclofenac mineralization in the loam soil was abolished by heat sterilization Addition of biosolids to sterile or non-sterile soil did not accelerate the dissipation of diclofenac These findings indicate that diclofenac is readily biodegradable in agricultural soils Crown Copyright (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B V All rights reserved