Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #284320
Title: Influence of olive oil mill waste amendment on fate of oxyfluorfen in Southern Spain soils

Author
item CALDERON, M - University Of Sevilla
item REAL, M - University Of Sevilla
item CABRERA, A - University Of Sevilla
item Koskinen, William
item CORNEJO, J - University Of Sevilla
item HERMOSIN, M - University Of Sevilla

Submitted to: Clean (Soil Air Water)
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2015
Publication Date: 7/1/2015
Citation: Calderon, M.J., Real, M., Cabrera, A., Koskinen, W.C., Cornejo, J., Hermosin, M.C. 2015. Influence of olive oil mill waste amendment on fate of oxyfluorfen in Southern Spain soils. Clean (Soil Air Water). 43(7):1107-1113.

Interpretive Summary: Transport of herbicides in soil is directly or indirectly controlled by soil processes such as sorption or retention and persistence. These processes have been shown to depend on soil composition, soil porosity, temperature, moisture and organic soil amendments. The influence of olive oil mill waste (OOMW) amendment on soil processes affecting the herbicide oxyfluorfen in two soils was assessed under laboratory conditions. Sorption-desorption studies showed higher oxyfluorfen sorption in amended as compared to unamended soils, presumably due to its higher organic matter (OM) content. Oxyfluorfen soil persistence was affected by organic matter content. Amendment of the soils with OOMW significantly increased persistence. Leaching potential of oxyfluorfen as measured in soil columns was very low, and increased with OM after amendment. This mobility is related to soil porosity distribution and its changes after soil amendment, enhancing the vertical movement of oxyfluorfen. Association of dissolved organic matter (DOM) with oxyfluorfen molecules may have also contributed to the increase in vertical movement. Although organic waste from olive oil mills ultimately increases persistence of oxyfluorfen in soil, it has the potential to reduce its potential off site transport by enhancing soil sorption as a result in an increase in OM content. It is, however, necessary to pay especial attention is to the addition of organic waste from olive oil mill during rainfall periods because DOM from amendment can contribute to the vertical movement of oxyfluorfen to deeper soil. These findings could provide additional insight and direction in the focus of the benefits of organic waste amendments from olive oil mills on improving water quality by sorbing agrochemicals. These results are significant to farmers and policy makers and will assist scientists and engineers in developing improved mechanisms of organic amendment additions for herbicide sorption to decrease agrochemical transport to groundwater.

Technical Abstract: The influence of olive oil mill waste (OOMW) amendment on soil processes affecting the herbicide oxyfluorfen (2-chloro-4-trifluoromethylphenyl-3-ethoxy-4-nitrophenyl ether) in two soils (P2 and SJ) was assessed under laboratory conditions. The soils used were from two diverse locations in Guadalquivir River Valley, with different physicochemical and textural characteristics, and were amended by mixing with composted OOMW (5% w/w) in laboratory. Sorption-desorption studies showed higher oxyfluorfen sorption in amended as compared to unamended soils, presumably due to its higher organic matter (OM) content. Oxyfluorfen photodegradation in the soils accounted for 15-20 % of the initially applied chemical after 96 hours of irradiation and no effect upon addition of OOMW was observed. Oxyfluorfen soil persistence was affected by organic matter content and soil moisture. DT50 values for SJ and P2 soils at 40% moisture and 25ºC were 29 and 19 d, respectively. Decreasing the soil moisture increased DT50 values by >2X, whereas amendment of the soils with OOMW increased DT50 values by >4X. Leaching potential of oxyfluorfen as measured in soil columns was very low, and decreased at lower temperature and increased with OM after amendment. This mobility is related to soil porosity distribution and its changes after soil amendment, enhancing the vertical movement of oxyfluorfen particularly at 25ºC. Association of dissolved organic matter (DOM) with oxyfluorfen molecules may have also contributed to the increase in vertical movement observed at 25ºC. At 4ºC, very low mobility was observed with most of the oxyfluorfen residues remaining in the top 5 cm of soil after leaching.