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Numerical Analysis of Transport of Trifluralin From a Subsurface Dripper
Author(s) -
Russo D.,
Zaidel J.,
Laufer A.,
Gerstl Z.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj2001.1648
Subject(s) - trifluralin , soil water , sorption , organic matter , soil science , chemistry , environmental science , environmental chemistry , adsorption , agronomy , pesticide , organic chemistry , biology
The transport of a pulse of trifluralin (2,6‐dinitro‐ N , N ‐dipropyl‐4‐[trifluoromethyl] benzenamime) applied via a subsurfacedripper was analyzed numerically. Results of the analyses suggest that the movement and spread of trifluralin in the soil is considerably retarded by its strong adsorption to the solid phase of the soil. This is particularly so in soils which contain aconsiderable fraction of organic C and in fine‐textured (clayey) soils with low hydraulic conductivity and high water retentivity. Water uptake by plant roots and the resultant rapid decrease of water velocity with increasing distance from the dripper restricts further the downward movement of trifluralin and its potential to pollute the groundwater. The presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the irrigation water may enhance both the movement and the spread of trifluralin in the soil, particularly in coarse‐textured soils with a relatively small fraction of organic C. Because of the strong adsorption of trifluralin to the soil, its concentration in the aqueous phase of the soil is very low and it decreases further with increasing time because of degradation and nonequilibrium sorption. This is particularly so in coarse‐textured soils with a relatively large fraction of organic C. Nevertheless, results of the analyses suggest that for soils of quite widely differing textures and organic C contents, a trifluralin concentration ofc t = 10 − 6kg m − 3may persist in the vicinity of the dripper for a relatively long period of time (90 d) even with relatively small applied mass (3 × 10 −5 kg).