The Fate of the Herbicides Prometryn and Metolachlor
in the Soil/Soil Solution System

Rita Földényi, Tímea Ertli, and Rudolf Mód

Department of Environmental Engineering and Chemical Technology, University of Veszprém, Veszprém, Hungary

Corresponding author: Rita Földényi
    P.O. Box 158
    H-8201 Veszprém, Hungary
    Telephone: +36-88-422022 / ext. 4404
    Fax number: +36-88-425049
    E-mail address: foldenyi@almos.vein.hu

CEJOEM 2002, Vol.8. No.2–3.:75–82


Key words:
Adsorption, distribution, metolachlor, prometryn, soil


Abstract:
Investigations were carried out with two moderately toxic herbicides, prometryn and metolachlor (EPA 3rd class) in order to get more information about their mobility and environmental fate. Data on human toxicity of these two chemicals are not available. Bioaccumulation and biomagnification were not observed. However, due to their fairly mobile character, they can contaminate water sources. The herbicides were investigated in static equilibrium experiments with typical Hungarian soils (chernozem, brown forest, sandy) used as adsorbents at pH 7. The analysis was carried out by gas- and liquid chromatography. Adsorbed amounts were calculated from the equilibrium concentration measured in the liquid phase. The isotherms displayed more than one steps indicating complicated interactions within the system investigated. Although their toxic features were similar, the two herbicides revealed quite big differences in the adsorption behavior.


Received:  3 July 2002
Accepted:  25 October 2002

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