Dissipation and residue of dimethomorph in pepper and soil under field conditions

The dissipation and residual levels of dimethomorph in pepper and soil under field conditions were determined by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The dissipation rates of dimethomorph were described using first-order kinetics and its half-life ranged from 1.7 to 3.8 days in pepper and 11.5-18.5 days in soil. At harvest time, the terminal residues of dimethomorph were below the EU's maximum residue limit (MRL, 0.5 mg kg(-1)) in pepper when measured 7 days after the final application, which suggested that the use of this fungicide was safe for humans. The collected field samples were stable for up to two months when refrigerated at -20 degrees C. The residues persistence varied among three geographically separated experimental fields, suggesting that it might be affected by climatic, soil properties and local microorganisms. These results will be helpful in setting MRL guidance for dimethomorph in pepper in China. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.