Ammonia impacts on atrazine leaching through undisturbed soil columns
- South Dakota State Univ., Brookings, SD (United States); and others
Ammonia-based fertilizers such as anhydrous ammonia, aqua ammonia, and urea, initially increase soil pH, reducing atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-triazine) sorption and increasing atrazine desorption. Increased amounts of atrazine in soil solution may increase atrazine`s leaching potential. This laboratory study investigated atrazine leaching behavior when ammonia and atrazine applications overlap. Nondisturbed 15-cm diam. by 15-cm depth soil columns were excavated from a Brandt silty clay loam (fine silty, Pachic Udic Haploboroll) and a Ves clay loam (fine silty, mixed mesic Typic Hapludalf). Concentrated NH{sub 4}OH was applied to the soil surface at 0 or 220 kg N ha{sup -1}. Immediately after fertilizer application, 1.9 kg atrazine (spiked with ring-labeled {sup 14}C-atrazine) ha{sup -1} was applied. One day after chemical application, soil columns were leached with 5.4 L of water. The ammonia application increased leachate and surface soil pH by about 2.5 and 3.5 pH units, respectively. The amount of {sup 14}C collected in leachate from ammonia-treated columns was 60 and 30% greater for the Brandt and Ves soils, respectively, compared with untreated columns. Less {sup 14}C remained in the surface of the ammonia-treated columns than in the surface of the untreated columns. These data indicate that the interaction between ammonia-based fertilizers and atrazine must be considered when evaluating atrazine movement through soil. Applications of atrazine and ammonia-based fertilizers that increase pH should be physically separated to limit the leaching potential of atrazine. 13 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 258979
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 24; ISSN JEVQAA; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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