Pesticide soil sorption parameters: Theory, measurement, uses, limitations and reliability

R. Don Wauchope*, Simon Yeh, Jan B.H.J. Linders, Regina Kloskowski, Keiji Tanaka, Baruch Rubin, Arata Katayama, Werner Kördel, Zev Gerstl, Michael Lane, John B. Unsworth

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

505 Scopus citations

Abstract

The soil sorption coefficient Kd and the soil organic carbon sorption coefficient KOC of pesticides are basic parameters used by environmental scientists and regulatory agencies worldwide in describing the environmental fate and behavior of pesticides. They are a measure of the strength of sorption of pesticides to soils and other geosorbent surfaces at the water/solid interface, and are thus directly related to both environmental mobility and persistence. KOC is regarded as a 'universal' parameter related to the hydrophobicity of the pesticide molecule, which applies to a given pesticide in all soils. This assumption is known to be inexact, but it is used in this way in modeling and estimating risk for pesticide leaching and runoff. In this report we examine the theory, uses, measurement or estimation, limitations and reliability of these parameters and provide some 'rules of thumb' for the use of these parameters in describing the behavior and fate of pesticides in the environment, especially in analysis by modeling.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)419-445
Number of pages27
JournalPest Management Science
Volume58
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002

Keywords

  • Freundlich isotherm
  • Pesticide
  • Pesticide mobility
  • Soil organic matter
  • Soil sorption
  • Spatial variability

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