Abstract
Atrazine [6-chloro-N-ethyl-N′-(1-methyl)-1,3,5 triazine-2,3-diamine] and alachlor [2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl) acetamide] are agricultural herbicides used in large quantities and, as a consequence, are common contaminants in groundwater and surface water. The retention of these herbicides in soils and their degradation in aqueous environments is highly dependent upon their adsorption to solid surfaces. The adsorption of atrazine and alachlor was investigated on three typical Kansas and underlying aquifers known to be vulnerable to contamination. More alachlor was adsorbed to the soils and sediments than atrazine. The adsorption coefficients for atrazine were 2 to 5 times higher for soils than for aquifer sediments. For alachlor, the adsorption coefficients were 4 to 20 times higher for soil than for aquifer solids. Both linear and Freundlich isotherms represented the adsorption data well in all cases. The slope of the Freundlich isotherms, 1/n, was close to one, with the exception of alachlor adsorption onto the Topeka aquifer sediment (1/n = 0.67). The K d values found in these studies were comparable to the lower range of those reported in the literature.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abate, F., & Masini, J.C. (2005). Adsorption of atrazine, hydroxyatrazine, deethylatrazine, and deisopropylatrazine onto Fe(III) polyhydroxy cations intercalated vermiculite and montmorillonite. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53, 1612–1619.
Barbash, J.E., Thelin, G.P., Kolpin, D.W., & Gilliom, R.J. (1999). Distribution of major herbicides in ground water of the United States. Water Resour. Investigations Rep. 98-4245. U.S. Geol. Survey, Reston, VA.
Bhandari, A., & Lesan, H.M. (2003). Isotherms for atrazine desorption from two surface soils. Environment Engineering Science, 20, 257–263.
Brouwer, W.W., Boesten, J.T., & Siegers, W.G. (1990). Adsorption of transformation products of atrazine by soil. Weed Research, 30, 123–128.
Chappell, M.A., Laird, D.A., Thompson, M.L., Li, H., Teppen, B.J., & Aggarwal, V. (2005). Influence of smectite hydration and swelling on atrazine sorption behavior. Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 3150–3156.
Chefetz, B., Bilkis, Y.I., & Polubesova, T. (2004). Sorption-desorption behavior of triazine and phenylurea herbicides in Kishon river sediments. Water Research, 38, 4383–4394.
Clay, S.A., Clay, D.E., & Moorman, T.B. (2004). Comparison of atrazine and alachlor sorption, mineralization, and degradation potential in surface and aquifer sediments. ACS Sympos. Series. Pesticide Decontamination and Detoxification, 863, 199–212.
Cruz-Guzman, M., Celis, R., Hermosin, M.C., & Cornejo, J. (2004). Adsorption of the herbicide simazine by montmorillonite modified with natural organic cations. Environmental Science and Technology, 38, 180–186.
DeSutter, T.M., Clay, S.A., & Clay, D.E. (2003). Atrazine sorption and desorption as affected by aggregate size, particle size, and soil type. Weed Science, 51, 456–462.
Dorado, J., Tinoco, P., & Almendros, G. (2003). Soil parameters related with the sorption of 2,4-D and atrazine. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 24, 1119–1133.
El-Nahhal, Y. (2003). Adsorption mechanism of chloroacetanilide herbicides to modified montmorillonite. Journal of Environmental Science & Health Part B: Pesticides, Food Contaminants & Agricultural Wastes, 5, 591–604.
Godskesen, B., Holm, P.E., Jacobsen, O.S., & Jacobsen, C.S. (2005). Aging of triazine amine in soils demonstrated through sorption, desorption, and bioavailability measurements. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 24, 510–516.
Herbicide Handbook (1989). Weed Sci. Society of America. 6th Edition. Champaign, IL 301 p.
Huang, P.M., Grover, R., & McKercher, R.B. (1984). Components and particle size fractions involved in atrazine adsorption by soils. Soil Science, 138, 20–24.
Inoue, M.H., Oliveria, R.S., Regitano, J.B., Tormena, C.A., Constantin, J., & Tornisielo, V.L. (2004). Sorption kinetics of atrazine and diuron in soils from southern Brazil. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, 39, 589–601.
Kolpin, D.K., Schnoebelen, D.J., & Thurman, E.M. (2004). Degradates provide insight to spatial and temporal trends of herbicides in ground water. Ground Water, 42, 601–608.
Koskinen, W.C., & Clay, S.A. (1997). Factors affecting atrazine fate in north central U.S. soils. Reviews of Environment Contamination and Toxicology, 151, 117–165.
Koskinen, W.C., Mulla, D.J., Oliveria, R.S., Khakural, B.R., & Robert, P.C. (2003). Spatial variability of herbicide sorption on soil. Terrestrial Field Dissipation Studies: Purpose, Design, and Interpretation. ACE Symposium Series, 842, 88–101.
Lesan, H.M., & Bhandari, A. (2003). Atrazine sorption on surface soils: time-dependent phase distribution and apparent desorption hysteresis. Water Research, 37, 1644–1654.
Lesan, H.M., & Bhandari, A. (2004). Contact-time-dependent atrazine residue formation in surface soils. Water Research, 38, 4435–4445.
Ma, L., & Selim, H.M. (1996). Atrazine retention and transport in soils. Reviews of Environment Contamination and Toxicology, 145, 129–173.
Mao, M., & Ren, L. (2004). Simulating nonequilibrium transport of atrazine through saturated soil. Ground Water, 42, 500–508.
McCormick, L.L., & Hiltbold, A.E. (1966). Microbiological decomposition of atrazine and diuron in soil. Weeds, 14, 77–82.
Pang, L.P., Close, M., & Flintoft, M. (2005). Degradation and sorption of atrazine, hexazinone and procymidone in coastal sand aquifer media. Pest Management Science, 61, 133–143.
Park, J.H., Feng, Y.C., Ji, P.S., Voice, T.C., & Boyd, S.A. (2003). Assessment of bioavailability of soil-sorbed atrazine. Applied and Environment Microbiology, 69, 3288– 3298.
Peter, C.J., & Weber, J.B. (1985). Adsorption, mobility, and efficacy of alachlor and metolachlor as influenced by soil properties. Weed Science, 33, 874–881.
Rao, P.S.C., & Davidson, J.M. (1979). Adsorption and movement of selected pesticides at high concentrations in soils. Water Research, 13, 375–379.
Saint-Fort, R., & Visser, S.A. (1988). Study of interactions between atrazine, diazinon, and lindane with humic acids of various molecular weights. Journal of Environmental Science Health, 23, 613–624.
Shin, J.Y., & Cheney, M.A. (2004). Abiotic transformation of atrazine in aqueous suspension of four synthetic manganese oxides. Colloids and Surfaces, 242, 85–92.
Singh, G., Spencer, W.F., Cliath, M.M., & van Genuchten, M.T. (1990). Sorption behavior of s-triazine and thiocarbamate herbicides on soils. Journal of Environmental Quality, 19, 1016–1020.
Sonon, L.S., & Schwab, A.P. (1995). Adsorption characteristics of atrazine and alachlor in Kansas soils. Weed Science, 43, 461–466.
Spalding, R.F., Watts, D.G., Snow, D.D., Cassada, D.A., Exner, M.E., & Schepers, J.S. (2003). Herbicide loading to shallow ground water beneath Nebraska's management systems evaluation area. Journal of Environmental Quality, 32, 84–91.
Steichen, J., Koelliker, J., Grosh, D., Heiman, A., Yearout, R., & Robbins, V. (1988). Contamination of farmstead wells by pesticides, volatile organics, and inorganic chemicals in Kansas. Ground Water Monitor. Remed., 8, 153–160.
Tao, Q.H., & Tang, H.X. (2004). Sorption behaviour of atrazine onto natural sediments under various solution conditions. Adhesion Science and Technology, 22, 639–652.
Weber, J.B., & Peter, C.J. (1982). Adsorption, bioactivity, and evaluation of soil tests for alachlor, acetochlor, and metolachlor. Weed Science, 30, 14–20.
Weber, J.B., Wilkerson, G.G., & Reinhardt, C.F. (2004). Calculating pesticide sorption coefficients (Kd) using selected soil properties. Chemosphere, 55, 157–166.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schwab, A.P., Splichal, P.A. & Banks, M.K. Adsorption of Atrazine and Alachlor to Aquifer Material and Soil. Water Air Soil Pollut 177, 119–134 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-006-9108-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-006-9108-z