Kontakt 2011, 13(2):242-249 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2011.029

Toxicology and environmental toxicology of herbicide triclopyrBiomedicine - Original article

Jiří Patočka1,*, Zdeněk Hon1, Petr Procházka2, Kamil Kuča3
1 Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, katedra radiologie a toxikologie
2 Univerzita obrany v Hradci Králové, Fakulta vojenského zdravotnictví, katedra toxikologie
3 Univerzita obrany v Hradci Králové, Fakulta vojenského zdravotnictví, Centrum pokročilých studií

Triclopyr is a systemic herbicide, which belongs to the group of chlorinated pyridines. Triclopyr is used in the form of ester or amine salt. It is employed for the control of deciduous woody plants, provided that it does not destroy grass and coniferous woody plants. It is used for the control of broad leafed weeds and bushes at different spots along ways, in pastures and meadows, in forests and sport areas including home lawns, where the grass and coniferous woody plants remain intact after this use. Triclopyr is unusually effective against woody plants and is used for the destruction of bushes along railways and defoliation of forest areas. Triclopyr is not stable in surface waters. It has a limited mobility and low capability of the accumulation in the soil. Given its adsorption characteristics and the fact that it is decomposed in many ways, such as photolysis, metabolic conversion in plants and microbial degradation, its ability to penetrate into deeper soil layers and contaminate ground waters is low. Triclopyr is decomposed in soil with a half-life between 30 and 90 days. One of products of its degradation is trichloropyridinol, which can persist in the soil for as long as one year. In decaying vegetation, triclopyr is active for about 3 months. The substance is slightly toxic to birds. It was found to be non-toxic to bees and slightly toxic to fishes. In humans, pure triclopyr exerts a very low toxicity after its oral administration. Technical triclopyr is slightly toxic after its oral administration or transdermal penetration. Humans can be exposed to triclopyr residua in the food.

Keywords: triclopyr; herbicide; toxicology; environmental toxicology; risk

Received: May 6, 2011; Accepted: May 16, 2011; Published: June 20, 2011  Show citation

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Patočka J, Hon Z, Procházka P, Kuča K. Toxicology and environmental toxicology of herbicide triclopyr. Kontakt. 2011;13(2):242-249. doi: 10.32725/kont.2011.029.
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