Bromoxynil is a nitrile herbicide. It is used for post-emergent control of annual broadleaf weeds. It is especially effective in the control of weeds in cereal, corn, sorghum, onions, flax, mint, turf, and on non-cropland. It works by inhibiting photosynthesis. Chronic exposure for more than one year in humans caused symptoms of weight loss, fever, vomiting, headache, and urinary problems in one documented case. In the Great Plains region of Canada it is widely used on cereal grains. Levels of bromoxynil were consistently lower than of several other pesticides tested, and it was observed to undergo greater reduction in water treatment than the others. Bromoxynil decomposes readily in soil, with a half life of approximately two weeks. Persistence increases in soils with elevated clay or organic matter content, suggesting the compound has somewhat limited bioavailability to microorganisms in these environments.
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