Persistence and Stability of Teflubenzuron and Diflubenzuron When Associated to Organic Particles in Marine Sediment

The persistence and stability of the oral administered anti salmon-lice drugs teflubenzuron and diflubenzuron were tested when associated to organic material as faecal particles from Atlantic salmon and medicated food pellets. This laboratory study was performed in seawater under aerobic conditions, at 7 degrees C in the dark and showed that both compounds were remarkably persistent and stable since no significant reduction in the concentrations of flubenzurons in sediment were seen after 24 weeks. Therefore neither chemical or microbial degradation nor outwashing seems to be important pathways for these drugs to disappear from sediment under fish farms. Thus, it is more likely that the decrease of flubenzurons from marine sediments described in field investigations is caused by either bioturbation, resuspension of organic particles or a combination of these.