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Environmental Fate and Impacts of Sulfometuron on Watersheds in the Southern United States
Author(s) -
Michael J. L.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2003.4560
Subject(s) - watershed , streamflow , environmental science , pesticide , hydrology (agriculture) , sediment , weir , streams , chemistry , environmental chemistry , zoology , drainage basin , agronomy , biology , geology , geography , paleontology , computer network , cartography , geotechnical engineering , machine learning , computer science
Dissipation of sulfometuron (SM), methyl 2‐[[[[(4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐pyrimidinyl)amino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl] benzoate, in streamflow, sediment, plant tissue, litter, and soil following operational forestry applications at the target rate of 0.42 kg a.i. ha −1 was monitored. Streamflow samples were collected at a weir on the perimeter and 30, 60, and 150 m downstream from the perimeter of the application site. Sulfometuron was detected in streamflow at low levels up to 29 days after treatment (DAT) on the watershed treated with the 75% dispersible granule formulation (Oust; DuPont Chemical Company, Wilmington, DE) and less than 53 DAT on the watershed treated with the experimental formulation (1% pellet). Twenty‐four‐hour average SM concentration in water ranged from not detected to a maximum of 49.3 μg L −1 Sulfometuron was not detected at quantifiable levels (1 μg L −1 ) 150 m downstream. Stream sediment, vegetation, litter, and soil were sampled periodically up to 180 DAT. All samples were analyzed for SM by high performance liquid chromatography. Sulfometuron dissipated from these watersheds with half‐lives that ranged from 4 d in plant tissues to 33 d in soil. Acidic soil solution on these treated watersheds contributed to their rapid dissipation. Environmental impacts are discussed for these watersheds in the context of available toxicological data.