Pesticide Research Journal

Persistence of fipronil in sterile and non sterile soil, collected from sugarcane field of Baghpat district, U.P with a history of fipronil application, is reported. The study was conducted till 120 d at the level of 1.0 μg g⁻¹ soil. Recovery of fipronil from the soil ranged between 87.7–95.6 per cent at 0.1 to 1.0 μg g⁻¹ fortification levels when analysed by gas chromatpgraphy (GC-ECD). Limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method was found to be 0.002 μg g. The DT50 (50% disappearance time) of fipronil in sterile and non sterile soils were 115.5 and 46.2 d, respectively. A vast difference in the half life values in the sterile and the non sterile soils indicated the presence of potential microbes for fipronil degradation.