Metabolic pathway
When 14C-orbencarb is applied to the soil surface,
plants absorb the radioactivity and orbencarb is rapidly
transformed to water-soluble metabolites in the plants.
The major metabolites identified are 2-chlorobenzyl
alcohol and 2-chlorobenzoic acid both in free and
conjugated forms, 2-chlorobenzyl sulfonic acid and
methyl 2-chlorobenzylsulfone. Hydroxylated
metabolites at the phenyl ring and N-vinyl metabolite
are found in soybean plants. Orbencarb degrades
more rapidly in soils under upland conditions than in
soils under flooded conditions. The major degradation
products in the soils are orbencarb sulfoxide,
monodesmethylorbencarb, methyl-2-
chlorobenzylsulfoxide, methyl-2-chlorobenzylsulfone,
and 2-chlorobenzylsulfonic acid.
