Uses
2,2-Dichloropropionic acid sodium salt is a selective, systemic herbicide used to control perennial and annual grasses on noncrop land, fruits, vegetables and some aquatic weeds.
Environmental Fate
Soil. Undergoes dechlorination and the liberation of carbon dioxide in soil. The residual
activity is limited to approximately 3–4 months (Hartley and Kidd, 1987). The average
half-life for dalapon-sodium in soil incubated in the laboratory under aerobic conditions
was 15 days (Namdeo, 1972)
Photolytic. Dalapon (free acid) is subject to photodegradation. When an aqueous
solution (0.25 M) was irradiated with UV light at 253.7 nm at 49°C, 70% degraded in 7
hours. Pyruvic acid is formed which is subsequently decarboxylated to acetaldehy
Chemical/Physical. Slowly reacts with moisture at room temperature forming pyruvic
acid (Frank and Demint, 1969; Kenaga, 1974), hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride
(Kenaga, 1974; Wolfe et al., 1990). The reported hydrolysis half-life of dalapon
Products reported from the combustion of the free acid (dalapon) at 900°C include
carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, chlorine and hydrochloric acid (Kennedy et al., 1972a)
