Effect of carbon-rich waste materials on movement and sorption of atrazine in a sandy, coarse-textured soil

Abstract

Soil columns were used to investigate leaching of atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine] in a Plainfield sandy soil amended with waste activated carbon (WAC), digested municipal sewage sludge (DMS), or animal manure. Lower amounts of atrazine were consistently observed in leachates from soil with amendments than from soil without amendments. Ability of the three wastes to reduce leaching of atrazine followed the order WAC ≫ DMS > animal manure. Atrazine recovery in leachate ranged from 0.1% from soil amended with WAC at 2.1 t of total carbon per ha (t C/ha) to 77.4% from unamended soil. Mobility of atrazine in amended soil was inversely related to its sorption coefficient, KOC. Reduction in amount of leached atrazine by application of DMS or manure may also have involved increased degradation and/or formation of bound residues. Findings of this study provide basic information for possible utilization of waste materials in coarse-textured soils to reduce leaching of pesticides to ground water.