Photo-Degradation of Pentachlorophenol and Dimethoate in Limuru Loam Soil and Nairobi River Sediment by Incandescent and FluorescenceBulbs

Introduction Most pesticides are not easily biodegraded, they persist in soils, leach to the ground water and surface water and hence bio-accumulate in food chains thus influence human health thereby resulting in several negative effects on the environment. Photo degradation is one of the natural pathways common for pesticides degradation after it is released into the environment. Photolysis process on soil surfaces is vital when a pesticide is placed directly on the soil. Pesticides reach the soil indirectly through Spray drift, leaching, volatilization or wash off after rainfall and crop absorption [1]. Once a pesticide is placed into the environment, several processes take place. Among them, the commonest is the leaching process. Leaching aids the herbicides reach into the root zone of the plant and this gives a farmer a better control of weeds. The Pesticides (chemical) that does not get or reach the target, would be very harmful to people and other organisms in the environment [2]. Degradation of pesticide residues results from light, micro-organisms,