Sorption of bentazone, dichlorprop, MCPA, and propiconazole in reference soils from Norway

Sorption-desorption kinetic and isotherm studies were performed by the batch equilibrium technique in three Norwegian soils. The soils were a fine sandy loam, a loam, and a soil of highly decomposed organic material. Two commercially formulations were used, Triagran-P and Tilt, containing either a mixture of bentazone [3-isopropyl-1H-2, 1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H)-one 2,2-dioxide], dichlorprop [(R)-2-(2, 4-dichlorophenoxy)-propionic acid], and MCPA [(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid], or propiconazole [(+/-)1-(2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-propyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole] alone. Sorption-desorption equilibrium occurred within 10 h for all pesticides. The Freundlich isotherms indicated nonlinear sorption of bentazone, dichlorprop, MCPA, and propiconazole. For all pesticides the highest Freundlich adsorption coefficient (K(F)) values were in the soil with highest organic content and lowest pH. For the fine sandy loam and loam, which are representative Norwegian agricultural soils, the results indicate that bentazone, dichlorprop, and MCPA are mobile with KF values ranging from 0.07 to 1.50 mg1-1/n kg(-1) L1/n. Propiconazole is much less mobile with KF values ranging from 27.00 to 36.02 mg1-1/n kg(-1) L1/n in the agricultural soils.