Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1
An overview of the chemistry,
manufacture, environmental
fate and detection
of carbofuran
Stephen Donovan,
1
Mark Taggart,
2
Ngaio Richards
3, 4
1
Pennsylvania Department of Health, 110 Pickering Way, Lionville,
Pennsylvania 19353, USA
2
Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and
Islands, Castle Street, Thurso, Caithness, Scotland, KW14 7JD, UK
3
Working Dogs for Conservation, 52 Eustis Road, Three Forks,
Montana 59752, USA
4
Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road,
Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
1.1 Introduction
The aim of this chapter is to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of carbofuran
as a compound and a familiarity with the technical terms used throughout this topic. First, we outline
the features which differentiate carbofuran from other compounds and detail its chemical properties.
We then summarise its environmental fate, in other words what happens to it once it is in the envi-
ronment, and conclude with a discussion of the most common methods of analysing and detecting
carbofuran in environmental samples.
1.2 The chemistry and mode of action of carbofuran
Carbofuran is an organic compound (meaning that it is made up of a carbon skeleton), composed
of a benzofuranyl component which is connected to a carbamate group (circled in Figure 1.1), i.e.,
derived from carbamic acid. Its molecular formula is denoted as C
12
H
15
NO
3
and its chemical name is:
2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl
N
-methylcarbamate. Carbofuran is a systemic insecticide,
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