Center For Aquatic And Invasive Plants

Sodium Percarbonate Considerations

*Important: See Reference Guide Beforehand

No single herbicide is appropriate for controlling all invasive aquatic plants (or nuisance growths of native aquatic plants), in all situations. A herbicide may perform differently depending on the waterbody, its use, the time of year—or even the time of day. Therefore, aquatic plant managers must have a thorough understanding of how each herbicide acts in Florida aquatic systems. The following parameters are evaluated when considering this herbicide to manage aquatic plants in a specific waterbody. Each parameter is linked to an explanation and examples are provided to demonstrate their relevance to developing comprehensive aquatic plant management strategies.

These considerations are not meant to replace or contradict the EPA approved label.
Always read and follow the pesticide label for each product used.

Table A: Herbicide Use Patterns for Sodium Percarbonate

Target Plant	Scientific Name	Use Pattern	Compatible Herbicides
Lyngbya	Microseira wollei	Evaluation	Apply in a program with chelated copper – do not tank mix with copper

Table B: Water Uses and Functions

Water Use Parameters	Management Considerations
Downstream Uses and Needs	No issues related to this tool
Fish and Wildlife Mgmt.
Vegetation planting	No issues related to this tool
Forage and prey	No issues related to this tool
Fisheries	Rainbow trout LC₅₀, 48 hours > 40 mg/L 96-hour LC₅₀ = 26 ppm
Non-game wildlife	No issues related to this tool
Endangered species	No issues related to this tool
Waterfowl	Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate is not expected to be toxic to birds
Flood Control	No issues related to this tool
Navigation and Access	No issues related to this tool
Irrigation	No irrigation restrictions
Livestock Consumption	No livestock consumption restrictions
Potable Water	No drinking water restrictions
Recreation
Boating	No issues related to this tool
Fishing	No fishing restrictions – does not bioaccumulate in fish
Hunting	No issues related to this tool
Swimming	No swimming restrictions

Table C: Herbicide, Waterbody, Plant, and Climate Parameters

Herbicide Parameters	Management Considerations
Herbicide Rate	1-25 ppm 1 ppm for low density algae control 25 ppm for extreme density
Breakdown / Inactivation	Rapidly dissociates into hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate Hydrogen peroxide is further degraded to water and oxygen Sodium carbonate is neutralized to sodium bicarbonate Half-life for this process is approximately eight hours – less than I day
Microbial	Not sensitive to microbial degradation
Adsorption	Sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide do not adsorb to sediment
Photolysis	Not sensitive to photolysis
Hydrolysis	Primary dissociation process of sodium percarbonate into peroxide
Dissipation	Dissipation of little concern due to rapid dissociation
Formulation
Liquid	Available in liquid formulation
Solid	Available in solid formulation
Mechanism of Action	Unclassified in WSSA Resistance Grouping Cell membrane oxidizer
Mode of Action
Contact	Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate is transformed into hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate in the presence of water Hydrogen peroxide is the active component and works by exogenously oxidizing organic matter Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes critical cellular components of target organism and kills it For example: in lipid peroxidation, oxygen radicals react with unsaturated fatty acids in cell membrane phospholipids, sequentially damaging them and killing the cell in a chain reaction Oxygen radicals also react with other fatty acids, nucleic acids, and proteins in a similar manner
Plant Growth Regulator	Not used as a plant growth regulator
Stewardship
Herbicide resistance	Oxidizing agent – resistance is not an issue
Waterbody Parameters	Management Considerations
Hydrology
Water depth	Important to know water depth to calculate appropriate dose
Water volume	Accurate bathymetry is essential to calculate appropriate concentration
Water movement	Not an issue with this tool
Water chemistry
Dissolved oxygen (DO)	Applications should be made early in the day For heavy blooms or large waterbodies, treat no more than ½ of the waterbody Wait at least two days to treat the remainder of the waterbody
pH, alkalinity, hardness	May dissociate faster in higher pH waters
Nutrient content	May be an issue when controlling large areas of algae
Water transparency	No issues related to this tool
Sediment characteristics
Composition	Flocculent, organic sediments accelerate breakdown
Potential for re-suspension	Flocculent or suspended organic particles accelerate breakdown
Plant Physiology Parameters	Management Considerations
Plant origin / growth potential	Used mostly for planktonic algae control Not a management priority in FWC programs
Native	Not used for native plant control in FWC funded programs
Non-native	Not used for non-native plant control in FWC funded programs
Invasive	Sodium percarbonate was evaluated for lyngbya (Microseira wollei) control Not applied on an operational basis
Plant growth stage (target/non-target)	Apply early in the season before blooms occur
Plant susceptibility (target/non-target)	Planktonic algae control is not a priority of the FWC; therefore, FWC has not permitted or funded the operational use of hydrogen peroxide algaecides Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic, and lack organelles for photosynthesis Appear to be more sensitive to hydrogen peroxide than green algae or diatoms
Potential for regrowth (target/non-target)	No issues related to this tool in FWC- funded programs
Climate Parameters	Management Considerations
Weather	Daily Manufacturer recommends applying earl in morning Seasonally Apply before intense blooms develop
Light intensity	Intense sunlight enhances product activity
Water temperature	Warmer water enhances product activity

Table D: Other Parameters

Parameter	Management Considerations
Cost	Several sodium percarbonate products are available Not used in FWC aquatic plant management programs
Anticipated Control Amount
Spatial	Control confined to area treated – dissipation is minimal
Duration	Requires frequent monitoring and application for planktonic algae control
Time to Achieve Control	Wait several hours before applying other herbicide like copper 1-2-days for control
Contractor/Equipment	Broadcast granular formulations with a mechanical spreader or by hand, directly on the water Make a solution with granular formulation Agitate slurry constantly Spray onto water surface from shore or a properly equipped boat, or Inject solution into the water via a piping system Place granular formulation in burlap bags and drag through the water by means of a boat Use granular application rates