Sorption and dissipation of aged metolachlor residues in eroded and rehabilitated soils

BACKGROUND: Sorption and dissipation of aged metolachlor were characterized in rehabilitated and eroded prairie soils using sequential batch slurry (conventional) and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). RESULTS: In spite of an almost twofold difference in soil organic carbon (OC) content, S‐metolachlor sorption coefficients (K_d) and dissipation rates (DT₅₀) were the same in soils from different landscape positions within an eroded landform. Soil was moved within the landform to increase productivity. In areas receiving topsoil addition, S‐metolachlor K_d was higher and DT₅₀ was longer than in eroded areas. The efficiency of extraction was higher for ASE than for conventional extractions. No consistent aging effect on K_d was observed. Mineralization in 8 weeks accounted for < 10% of the applied metolachlor. CONCLUSION: The results of this laboratory study support a field dissipation study. Both showed that S‐metolachlor has the same retention and dissipation rate throughout an eroded landform, which was not expected owing to the large variability in soil properties, including OC concentrations. Altering soil properties by adding topsoil increased metolachlor sorption and persistence. The method of extraction (conventional versus ASE) affected calculated sorption coefficients and dissipation rates. In all cases, groundwater ubiquity scores (GUSs) categorized metolachlor as having intermediate mobility. Published 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.