Kentucky State University
Detection of Herbicides in Runoff from Agricultural Fields
Institution
Kentucky State University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
George Antonious; Regina Hill
Abstract
Soil amendments could be used to intercept pesticide-contaminated runoff from agricultural fields. This practice might provide a potential solution to pesticides contamination of surface and seepage water from farm lands. Agricultural use of pesticides has remained high for economic reasons. Metribuzin [4-amino-6-tert-butyl-4, 5-dihydro-3-methylthio-1, 2, 4-triazin-5-one] and DCPA [1, 4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachloro-, dimethyl] ester, in runoff and seepage water from agricultural fields were investigated. The field study was conducted on a silty-loam soil of 10% slope at Kentucky State University Research Farm to monitor off-site movement of metribuzin and DCPA in runoff and seepage water. Eighteen plots of 22 × 3.7 m each were separated using metal borders and the soil in six plots was mixed with sewage sludge (SS) at 15 t acre− 1 on dry weight basis, six plots were mixed with chicken manure (CM) at 15 t acre− 1 on dry weight basis, and six unamended plots (NM) were used for comparison purposes. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of this practice on the concentration of herbicide residues in runoff and seepage water. CM and SS treatments increased water infiltration into the soil column towards the vadose zone, reducing surface water runoff down the land slope. The leaching index (LI) values indicated the weak soil leaching of DCPA and the high leaching of metribuzin.
Detection of Herbicides in Runoff from Agricultural Fields
Soil amendments could be used to intercept pesticide-contaminated runoff from agricultural fields. This practice might provide a potential solution to pesticides contamination of surface and seepage water from farm lands. Agricultural use of pesticides has remained high for economic reasons. Metribuzin [4-amino-6-tert-butyl-4, 5-dihydro-3-methylthio-1, 2, 4-triazin-5-one] and DCPA [1, 4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachloro-, dimethyl] ester, in runoff and seepage water from agricultural fields were investigated. The field study was conducted on a silty-loam soil of 10% slope at Kentucky State University Research Farm to monitor off-site movement of metribuzin and DCPA in runoff and seepage water. Eighteen plots of 22 × 3.7 m each were separated using metal borders and the soil in six plots was mixed with sewage sludge (SS) at 15 t acre− 1 on dry weight basis, six plots were mixed with chicken manure (CM) at 15 t acre− 1 on dry weight basis, and six unamended plots (NM) were used for comparison purposes. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of this practice on the concentration of herbicide residues in runoff and seepage water. CM and SS treatments increased water infiltration into the soil column towards the vadose zone, reducing surface water runoff down the land slope. The leaching index (LI) values indicated the weak soil leaching of DCPA and the high leaching of metribuzin.