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Title: BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC LOSSES OF ATRAZINE FROM AQUATIC PLANT-CONTAINING MICROCOSMS

Author
item MARLEY, KAREN - UNIV OF ILLINOIS
item CURTIS, AME - UNIV OF ILLINOIS
item LARSON, RICHARD - UNIV OF ILLINOIS
item MITCHELL, RENEE - UNIV OF ILLINOIS
item Sims, Gerald

Submitted to: Proceedings of American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/21/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Contamination of natural waters with herbicides has become a serious issue facing agricultural management. Recent studies have shown that some plants have a potential to take up herbicides and metabolize them to forms that may be less toxic to the plant or the environment. The aquatic plant, hornwort, has been reported to reduce the concentrations of atrazine and metolachlor from water samples when the herbicides are present in large quantities. In this study, we demonstrated the ability of hornwort to remove atrazine from an aquatic system employing realistic levels of atrazine. In this study, we also included sunlight, sediments, and microorganisms to more closely simulate natural conditions. The results of the study showed that even in the absence of plants, light promotes atrazine disappearance. Including plants in the study sharply increased atrazine removal. The effectiveness of the plant was dependent upon environmental conditions, such as light, as well as the growth stage of the plant. The results of this investigation show potential for using hornwort, or other aquatic plants, to enhance removal of atrazine from contaminated streams, or agricultural runoff prior to entering major waterways. The impact of these findings is in the development of on-site and offsite management practices that reduce the negative impact of agriculture on water quality.

Technical Abstract: Recent studies have shown that some plants take up potentially hazardous materials and metabolize them to forms that may be less toxic to the plant or the environment. The aquatic plant, hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum), has been reported to reduce the concentrations of atrazine and metolachlor from liquid culture media in which the herbicides had been introduced at exaggerated concentraions. Herein, we report a study in which the ability of C. demersum to remove atrazine was examined in an aquatic system employing realistic initial concentrations of atrazine in the presence of sunlight, sediments, and indigenous or introduced microorganisms. The results of the study showed that even in the absence of plants, light induces atrazine disappearance. Including plants in the study increased atrazine removal, with rate constants as high as 0.21/day. The effectiveness of the plant was dependent upon its physiological state. The results of this investigation show potential for using C. demersum to enhance removal of atrazine from contaminated streams, or agricultural runoff prior to entering major waterways.