Abstract
UDK 631.4:632.954; 633.1:632.954(497.6)
 The aim of the study is to present the elements which must be considered while determining the risk of the mobility of the herbicides. Herbicides used for maize production have the special eco toxical significance and special risk because some are potentially mobile, they are used on the large surfaces during the rainy period and near rivers.
 Behaviour of the herbicides in the environment, particularly in the soil is very complex. It does not depend only on the characteristics of the herbicide, but on the many factors of the environment which are very variable. Regardless of this fact, there are experimentally determined physical-chemical indicators for each herbicide that show the possible behaviour of herbicides in the environment. Studied physical-chemical indicators of herbicide behavior are: Distribution Coefficient (Kd); Organic Carbon Partitioning Coefficient (Koc); Time of the Semi-Decomposition (DT50); Water Solubility (S); Groundwater Ubiquity Score (GUS); Henry's Law Constant (Kh), Vapor Pressure (PV) and the Dissociation Constant (pKa).
 Namely, herbicides, in larger or smaller measure, have “leaching potential“, which is ability to reach the underground water. One of the basic criteria for evaluating the herbicide ability to reach the underground water is related to indicators of mobility and persistency (DT50) herbicides, but neglecting some other criteria in that evaluation such as the amount of applying, characteristics of the soil and the aim of the crop growth. According to the EPA criteria, for the herbicides used in maize production in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the “trigger“ value will indirectly indicate if the herbicides have large leaching potential.
Highlights
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a plant that is grown on the largest agricultural area in the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Republic of Srpska compared to the other crops
Weed control in maize production in BiH is done with an herbicides application
Number of herbicide which is registered for application in maize production is enormous
Summary
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a plant that is grown on the largest agricultural area in the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Republic of Srpska compared to the other crops. Maize is grown on between 190,000 and 200,000 ha (Table 1) in the past years in BiH. Majority of maize production of BiH, between 140,000 and 150,000 ha each year, is in Republic of Srpska in the valley of Vrbas and Sava river. In these areas groundwater level is high and the risk of potentially contamination is more expressed. Paris et al (2013) were doing monitoring of surface and groundwater in Italy and they found that herbicides, with the highest frequency in most of groundwater are: Terbuthylazine, Atrazine, Metolachlor and Bentazone.
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