Adsorption and desorption of herbicide monosulfuron-ester in Chinese soils

Monosulfuron-ester is a new, low rate, sulfonylurea herbicide that is being promoted for annual broadleaf and gramineal weed control; however, there is a lack of published information on its behavior in soils. The adsorption and desorption of monosulfuron-ester by seven type soils were measured using a batch equilibrium technique. The results showed that the Freundlich equation fitted its adsorption and desorption well, and the Freundlich constant values (K(f-ads)) ranged from 0.88 to 5.66. Adsorption isotherms were nonlinear with 1/n(f-ads) values < 1. Soil pH, organic matter (OM), and clay content were the main factors influencing its adsorption and desorption. Adsorption and desorption were negatively correlated with pH 4.0-8.0 while positively correlated with OM and clay content. The adsorption of monosulfuron-ester was mainly a physical process, because its free energy (deltaG) in seven soils was less than 40 kJ/mol. Monosulfuron-ester adsorption by three soils increased with increasing CaCl2 concentration using CaCl2 as a background electrolyte. Monosulfuron-ester desorption was hysteretic in all tested soils.