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Fluridone is an
organic compound Some chemical authorities define an organic compound as a chemical compound that contains a carbon–hydrogen or carbon–carbon bond; others consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon. For example, carbon-co ...
that is used as aquatic
herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weed killers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page f ...
often used to control invasive plants. It is used in the United States to control
hydrilla ''Hydrilla'' (waterthyme) is a genus of aquatic plant, usually treated as containing just one species, ''Hydrilla verticillata'', though some botanists divide it into several species. It is native to the cool and warm waters of the Old World in A ...
and Eurasian watermilfoil among other species. Fluridone is sold as a solution and as a slow release solid because the herbicide level must be maintained for several weeks. The compound is a colorless solid.Franz Müller and Arnold P. Applebyki "Weed Control, 2. Individual Herbicides" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2010 The compound was first reported as a possible herbicide for cotton fields in 1976. It was registered with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency may refer to the following government organizations: * Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland), Australia * Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana) * Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) * Environmenta ...
in 1986 and has low toxicity to animals with no restrictions on swimming or drinking in treated water bodies. Fluridone breaks down in the environment over days or weeks with the major degradation product being N-methyl formamide. The half-life of fluridone in soils and sediments has been estimated at nine months. Fluridone degradation in soil and saturated sediment has been correlated with temperature and clay content, while fluridone degradation in water is largely dependent on UV light exposure. Fluridone transport through the soil, vadose zone, and aquifer is limited by its strong sorbance to organic matter.


Molecular target

Fluridone is a systemic herbicide that works by interfering with
carotene The term carotene (also carotin, from the Latin ''carota'', "carrot") is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C40Hx, which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals (with the ex ...
formation which leads to chlorophyll degradation. Fluridone and are inhibitors of
chloroplast A chloroplast () is a type of membrane-bound organelle, organelle known as a plastid that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plant cell, plant and algae, algal cells. Chloroplasts have a high concentration of chlorophyll pigments which captur ...
ic and
cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria ( ) are a group of autotrophic gram-negative bacteria that can obtain biological energy via oxygenic photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" () refers to their bluish green (cyan) color, which forms the basis of cyanobacteri ...
l Phytoene desaturase, which in turn disrupts the
carotenoid Carotenoids () are yellow, orange, and red organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, corn, tomatoes, cana ...
biosynthetic pathway.


Pharmaceutical

Fluridone's main action to disrupt photosynthesis in plants is by preventing the secretion of
abscisic acid Abscisic acid (ABA or abscisin II) is a plant hormone. ABA functions in many plant developmental processes, including seed and bud dormancy, the control of organ size and stomatal closure. It is especially important for plants in the response to ...
. As higher
eukaryotes The eukaryotes ( ) constitute the domain of Eukaryota or Eukarya, organisms whose cells have a membrane-bound nucleus. All animals, plants, fungi, seaweeds, and many unicellular organisms are eukaryotes. They constitute a major group of ...
, such as humans, also rely on an abscisic acid pathway to create inflammation in normal physiological processes, fluridone could be investigated as being of interest in the development of anti-inflammatory agents.


Biodegradation

Fluridone degrades in soil and upon exposure to sunlight with a half-life of ≤21 days.


See also

*
Stormy Lake (Alaska) Stormy Lake is a lake on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, also known as Three Bay Lake. It is located north of the town of Kenai. The lake has been the target of two efforts to eradicate invasive species and re-introduce native flora and fish. ...
, a lake that was treated with fluridone to remove invasive '' Elodea'', an aquatic plant.


References

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External links


EPA Substance Registry
entry for Fluridone
BREDA list of 1,5-Cis-Phytoene desaturase inhibitors
Herbicides Trifluoromethyl compounds Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 4-Pyridones Group 12 herbicides