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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Morris, Minnesota » Soil Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #204458
Title: Sorption and predicted mobility of herbicides in Baltic soils

Author
item SAKALIENE, ONA - LITHUANIAN DEPT. OF AGRIC
item Schneider, Sharon
item Koskinen, William
item Spokas, Kurt

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Science and Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/3/2007
Publication Date: 8/14/2007
Citation: Sakaliene, O., Papiernik, S.K., Koskinen, W.C., Spokas, K.A. 2007. Sorption and predicted mobility of herbicides in Baltic soils. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B. 42:641-647.

Interpretive Summary: Determination of pesticide sorption under local conditions is required to predict off-site transport. Recent surveys detected pesticides in surface water and groundwater of the Baltic region, but there is little information in the peer-reviewed literature regarding the fate of pesticides in Baltic soils. This study was conducted to evaluate the sorption of eight herbicides (alachlor, amitrole, atrazine, dicamba, imazamox, imazethapyr, pendimethalin, and simazine) to seven agricultural soils of Lithuania. This information was used to estimate the predicted mobility of these herbicides in these soils to indicate the potential for these herbicides to move from the site of application to surface water and groundwater. Only one of the herbicides was predicted to be mobile in all seven soils. Herbicide management is important to the continued increase in agricultural production and profitability in the Baltic region. These results will be useful in identifying critical areas requiring improved management practices to reduce water contamination by pesticides.

Technical Abstract: Determination of pesticide sorption under local conditions is required to predict off-site transport. Recent surveys detected pesticides in surface water and groundwater of the Baltic region, but there is little information in the peer-reviewed literature regarding the fate of pesticides in Baltic soils. This study was conducted to evaluate the sorption of eight herbicides (alachlor, amitrole, atrazine, dicamba, imazamox, imazethapyr, pendimethalin, and simazine) to seven agricultural soils of Lithuania. Soil-water partitioning coefficients were measured in batch equilibrium studies using radiolabeled herbicides. In most soils, sorption followed the general trend: pendimethalin>alachlor>atrazine~amitrole~simazine>imazethapyr> imazamox>dicamba which is consistent with the trends in hydrophobicity (log Kow) except in the case of amitrole. Preliminary retardation factors calculated for each herbicide-soil combination indicated that these seven herbicides were predicted to be most susceptible to leaching in soils of intermediate organic carbon content and sand content. Based on estimated retardation factors, pendimethalin was predicted to be very immobile in all soils, and dicamba was classified as mobile in all soils. In most soils, alachlor was predicted to be very immobile; amitrole, atrazine, simazine, and imazethapyr were classified as moderately immobile; and imazamox ranged from moderately immobile to mobile. Herbicide management is important to the continued increase in agricultural production and profitability in the Baltic region. These results will be useful in identifying critical areas requiring improved management practices to reduce water contamination by pesticides.