殺草劑拉草在水中進行水解，其水解之半衰期為17天。在pH3到7間水解速率不受影響，pH7以上則因pH提高而加速。在鹼性溶液中之水解反應為一級反應，其速率常數為每日4.07×10-2。當拉草水解時pH值降低，表示酸性物質之產生，因此而降低pH值抑制拉草之水解。拉草在鹼性溶液中較在中性及酸性溶液中易發生水解，同時溫度愈高，水解反應愈快。在pH11之緩衝水溶液中，40℃時其消失速率比25℃時快兩倍。水解是拉草在水中分解的一主要途徑。其主要水解產物有二，一為2-chloro-2’,6’-diethyl-acetanilide，另一為2’,6’-diethyl-N- (methoxymethyl) aniline.

F ANG, Chin -Hsiang. 1980. Dissipation and Degradation ofHerbicide Alachlor in Water. Weed Science Bulletin 1 : 97-106.Alachlor CLasso@ , 2-chloro- 2' .6' -diethyl-N -(methoxymethyl)acetanilide] undergoes hydrolysis in water with a half-life of 17days. Within pH range 3-7, the reaction is pH independent , butpH dependent above pH 7. The first-order rate constant foralkaline hydrolysis is 4.07 x 1O- 2 !day.As alachlor hydrolyzes the pH of the solution decreases ,indicating formation of acidic products. Also, the decrease in pHapparently retards the rate of alachlor degradation. Its dissipationrate in pH 11 buffer at 40 C was two times faster as that of at25 C.The hydrolysis is likely to be the predominating pathway ofdegradation in the aquatic environment. The two major productsas alachlor degrading in water are 2-chloro-2' ,6'-diethyl-acetani1ideand 2' ,6'-diethyl-N . (methoxymethyl) aniline.