Environmental Fate of Mancozeb

Mancozeb is one member of ethylenebisdiothiocarbamate (EBDC) fungicides. This compound has a negligible vapor pressure, therefore it has a low potential to volatilize into the air. In water, mancozeb can be quickly hydrolyzed with a half-life of less than 2 days. The identified hydrolysis degradates are ethylenethiourea (ETU), ethyleneurea (EU) and ethylene bisisothiocyanate sulfide (EBIS). Mancozeb is of low soil persistence with half-lives of less than 2 and 8 days in aerobic and anaerobic soils, respectively. The major metabolites are ETU and EU. Under aerobic conditions, the metabolites breakdown further to produce CO2. Mancozeb and its degradates moderately bind to soils with adsorption coefficient values (Kd) varied from 7 to 12 cm/g. The compound has moderate mobile potential in soils, but due to the relatively high rate of chemical and microbial degradation mancozeb is not likely to leach into subsurface flow.