THE INTERACTION OF PARAQUAT WITH SOIL: ADSORPTION BY AN EXPANDING LATTICE CLAY MINERAL

Summary. Some characteristics of the interaction of paraquat with a dioctahedral montmorillonite have been studied by a combination of adsorption, radioisotope exchange, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The clay exhibited a high affinity for paraquat, since when less than 50 me/100 g were absorbed no paraquat was detected in the solution (<0·07 ppm), irrespective of the saturating cation, and in the presence or absence of 3·5 M ammonium nitrate solution. Interlamellar adsorption of paraquat was detected by the occurrence, even in an aqueous environment, of the 12·6 A c-spacing associated with the adsorption of pyridinium ions. When ¹⁴C-labelled paraquat was added to a clay containing less than 50 me/100 g of adsorbed paraquat, complete self-exchange was observed within 24 hr. Therefore at all levels of adsorption, paraquat held in the adsorbed phase must be in equilibrium with a solution concentration. Interaction entre le paraquat et le sol; adsorption par un mineral argileux gonflant Résumé. Quelques caractères de l'interaction entre le paraquat et une montmorillonite dioctahèrique ont étéétudiés par une combinaison des techniques suivantes: adsorption, échanges de radioisotopes et diffraction des rayons X. L'argile manifesta une grande affinité pour le paraquat: lorsque moins de 50 me/100 g furent absorbés, le paraquat ne fut plus décelé cans la solution (<0.07 ppm), indépendamment du cation saturant, et en présenee ou non d'une solution 3,5 M de nitrate d'ammonium. L'adsorption interlamellaire du paraquat fut détectée par l'occurence, même dans un environnement aqueaux, d'un espacement selon l'axe c de 12,6 A associé avec l'adsorption d'ions pyridinium. Quand du paraquat marqué au ¹⁴C fut ajoutéà une argiie contenant moins de 50 me/100 g de paraquat adsorbé, un autoéchange complet fut observé dans les 24 heures. En conséquence, á tous les niveaux d'adsorption, le paraquat retenu dans la phase adsorbée doit être en êquilibre avec une concentration de la solution. Die Wechselwirkung zwischen Paraquat und Boden: Adsorption an ein aufweit-bares Schichtgitter-Tonmineral Zusammenfassung. Mit Hilfe einer Kombination von Adsorptions- und Radio-isotopenaustauschtechniken und Röntgenstrukturanalyse wurden einige Charakteristika der Wechseiwirkungen zwischen Paraquat und einem diocatedrischen Montmorillonit untersucht. Der Ton besass eine hohe Affinität fur Paraquat, da in der Lösung kein Paraquat mehr nachzuweisen war (<0,07 ppm), wenn weniger als 50 mval/100 g adsorbiert worden waren. Dies war sowohl von dem entsprechenden Kation als auch von der Anwesenheit oder Abwesenheit einer 3,5 M Ammoniumnitratlosung unabhangig. Interlamellare Adsorption von Paraquat wurde anhand der sogar in wassrigem Milieu stattfindenden C-Aufweitung (12,6 Å), verbunden mit einer Adsorption von Pyridiniumionen, festgestellt. Wurde ¹⁴C-markiertes Paraquat einem Boden, der weniger als 50 mval/100 g adsorbiertes Paraquat enthielt, zugegeben, so trat innerhalb von 24 Stunden vollkommener Selbstaustausch ein. Das adsorbierte Paraquat muss daher bei alien Adsorptionsmengen in einem Gleichgewicht mit einer umgebenden Paraquatlosung stehen.     

Evidence for different nutrient partitioning in Boran (Bos indicus) and Boran x Holstein cows when re-allocated from low to high or from high to low feeding level

This study tested the hypothesis that purebred Boran (Bos indicus) cows and crossbreds of Boran and Holstein respond differently to long-term changes of feeding level in nutrient partitioning to milk and body fat stores. A total of 27 cows of these two genotypes were subjected either to a low or a high feeding level from their first oestrus as heifers until birth of their third calf. Half of the cows of each genotype were then switched to the other feeding level during the third reproduction cycle. If at all, Boran cows responded to a change in the feeding level almost exclusively by a corresponding change in body weight but not milk yield. Crossbred cows kept continuously on the low feeding level had a lower milk yield than those continuously fed the high level, but lost similar amounts of body weight. In crossbred cows, changing the feeding level from high to low was accompanied by a mobilization of body reserves, whereas a change from low to high level resulted mostly in an increase in milk yield. Certain other genotype differences in metabolic response were obvious from differences in body composition and from the metabolic profile either reflected in blood (particularly insulin-like growth factor I) or in adipose tissue (lipoprotein lipase). Reproductive performance differed between genotypes, with shorter lactations associated with earlier occurrences of the first oestrus in the Boran cows. Generally, feeding history appeared to have at least as much influence on energy partitioning as the actual feeding level. In conclusion, purebred Boran cows seem to react to long-term food fluctuations mainly by mobilizing and restoring body fat reserves, whereas cows crossbred with Holstein tend to spend extra energy preferentially for milk production.