Methods for determination of pesticide adsorption properties and examination of their mobility in soil

Abstract

Pesticide destiny in soil depends on a number of factors, as well as on presence and intensity of the processes such as adsorption, degradation, evaporation, rinsing and leaching. Since adsorption processes govern concentration of the free fraction of pesticide molecules, researches in this area are primarily focused on examination of this process, more precisely on determination of adsorption constants and adsorption/desorption isotherms which provide determination of the most responsible soil properties for the retention of the tested pesticides in the soil. Since rinsing across the soil profile is the most frequent and its intensity is indirectly determined by intensity of adsorption processes, determination of adsorption constants of pesticides provides determination of rinsing potential for these substances across the soil profile. Methods for determination of pesticides adsorption properties and examination of their mobility in soil, primarily across the soil profile, are presented in the paper. Special emphasis is placed on the ?batch? method, which is currently the most common, and which was actually proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).