Synthesis, Production, and Mass Balance Analysis of Ten High-Volume Herbicides

Year : 2025 | Volume : 12 | Issue : 03 | Page : 30 44
    By

    Ashok K. Rathoure,

  • Anika Rathoure,

  1. Research Director, Chaitanya Climate Research Inc. Surat, Gujarat, India
  2. Research Scholar, Chaitanya Climate Research Inc. Surat, Gujarat, India

Abstract

Herbicides play a crucial role in modern agriculture, enabling effective weed management and safeguarding crop yields amid rising global food demands and growing weed resistance, which can reduce productivity by up to 40%. This study provides a detailed examination of synthesis pathways, production methodologies, and mass balance dynamics for ten high-volume herbicides: Aclonifen, Ametryn, Amidosulfuron, Aminocyclopyrachlor, Aminopyralid, Atrazine, Azimsulfuron, Beflubutamid, Bensulfuron Methyl, and Bentazone, used to control broadleaf weeds, grasses, and invasives across various cropping systems. Based on stoichiometric principles and industrial data, the analysis maps multi-step chemical transformations, raw material inputs, solvent usage, byproduct generation, and waste streams at a one-ton production scale. Manufacturing sequences vary in complexity: Aclonifen synthesis involves nitration, amination, and phenylation, producing trichlorobenzene, phenol, and HCl byproducts; Atrazine’s two-step amination yields NaCl and organic residues; other herbicides generate HCl, NaCl, or phenol as primary byproducts. Solvents, including toluene and ethanol (up to 3,200 kg), are largely recovered (95–98%), while neutralization requires NaOH (325–849 kg) and effluent management through ETP, TSDF, or incineration. Water inputs (1,500–8,000 kg) contribute significantly to effluent volumes. Total production footprints range from 5,811 to 15,287 kg/t, with solvent losses of 1–5% and organic losses of 2–20%. These mass balances highlight environmental challenges, including hazardous emissions, and underscore the importance of process improvements such as catalytic optimization, closed-loop solvent recovery, and bio-based alternatives. By offering granular data for lifecycle assessment, the study supports sustainable herbicide manufacturing, regulatory compliance, and innovation in agrochemical production.

Keywords: Herbicides, chemical synthesis, mass balance, byproducts, solvents, waste management

[This article belongs to Emerging Trends in Chemical Engineering ]

How to cite this article:
Ashok K. Rathoure, Anika Rathoure. Synthesis, Production, and Mass Balance Analysis of Ten High-Volume Herbicides. Emerging Trends in Chemical Engineering. 2025; 12(03):30-44.
How to cite this URL:
Ashok K. Rathoure, Anika Rathoure. Synthesis, Production, and Mass Balance Analysis of Ten High-Volume Herbicides. Emerging Trends in Chemical Engineering. 2025; 12(03):30-44. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/etce/article=2025/view=234172


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Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 12
Issue 03
Received 29/09/2025
Accepted 03/10/2025
Published 27/10/2025
Publication Time 28 Days
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