Premium
Modeling Concentration‐Dependent Sorption–Desorption Hysteresis of Atrazine in a Sandy Loam Soil
Author(s) -
Anagu Ihuaku,
Ingwersen Joachim,
Drori Yaron,
Chefetz Benny,
Streck Thilo
Publication year - 2011
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/jeq2010.0294
Subject(s) - loam , sorption , atrazine , desorption , hysteresis , environmental chemistry , soil science , environmental science , chemistry , agronomy , pesticide , soil water , adsorption , biology , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Nonequilibrium sorption plays an active role in the transport of organic contaminants in soil. We applied a two‐stage, one‐rate model (2S1R) and a new, nonlinear variant (2S1RN) of this model to examine the effects of wastewater irrigation on the sorption kinetics of atrazine (2‐chloro‐4‐ethylamino‐6‐isopropylamino‐1,3,5‐triazine) in soil. The models were applied to previously published sorption–desorption data sets, which showed pronounced deviations between sorption curves and desorption curves (sorption–desorption hysteresis). Moreover, the slopes of the desorption curves decreased with decreasing concentration. Different treatments had been used, and two experimental time steps (2 and 14 d) were used. Treatments considered were lipid removal, fulvic and humic acid removal, and untreated soil. The 2S1R model was unable to reproduce the observed type of hysteresis, but the 2S1RN model, which assumes that the sorption–desorption process follows a power function relationship, was able to reproduce the observed type of hysteresis. Visually, applying the new model improved the model fits in all test cases. Statistically, as tested by an extra sum of squares analysis, the new model performed significantly better in 50% of all test cases. According to an example simulation, the choice of the sorption model has a considerable impact on the prediction of atrazine transport in soil.