[en] The concentration of coumaphos in four field cattle dipping vats and its distribution at different depths in the suspension and in the sediment was monitored over 12 to 48 weeks. The residual concentration of coumaphos and degradation products was determined by HPLC. Coumaphos was extracted from the suspension by shaking with equal volume of methanol and 90% of coumaphos was extracted by this method. A reverse phase C-18 column (25 cm x 0.4 cm) was used in the HPLC and the eluent was a mixture of methanol+ water (80+20,v/v). The initial concentration of coumaphos was 200 mg/L. However, it steadily decreased in all four vats with time. The final concentration was reduced to 39% of the concentration at zero time in vat number 1 after 12 week 17% after 18 weeks in vat number 2, 29% after 19 weeks in vat number 3 and 23% after 48 weeks in vat number 4. The concentration in the sediment increased from 165 mg/kg at zero time to 1960 mg/kg after 18 weeks in vat number 1 and 152 mg/kg to 2020 mg/kg after 48 weeks in vat number 4. The concentration of coumaphos in the suspension ranged between 28 to 81 mg/L at the surface, 46 to 115 mg/L at 20 cm and 86 to 147 mg/L at 100 cm depth. (author)