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Bioremediating herbicide-contaminated soils
E K Dzantor1, A S Felsot, M J Beck
1Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL 35660.
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Landfarming combined with biostimulation effectively remediated pesticide wastes. Organic amendments significantly enhanced soil bioactivity and herbicide dissipation, particularly for alachlor.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Agrochemistry
Background:
- Pesticide contamination poses environmental risks.
- Remediation of pesticide-contaminated soil is crucial for ecosystem health.
- Landfarming and biostimulation are potential remediation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of combining landfarming and biostimulation for pesticide waste remediation.
- To assess the impact of organic amendments (sewage sludge, corn meal) on herbicide dissipation.
- To monitor soil bioactivity and herbicide degradation rates.
Main Methods:
- Field plots were treated with pesticide-contaminated soil or fresh spray mixtures.
- Organic amendments (sewage sludge, corn meal) were incorporated into designated plots.
- Soil dehydrogenase activity and herbicide concentrations (alachlor, trifluralin, metolachlor, atrazine) were monitored over 100 days.
Main Results:
- Soil dehydrogenase activity was highest in organic-material-amended plots.
- Alachlor dissipation ranged from 85-95% in amended contaminated soil and 75-85% in unamended.
- In freshly sprayed plots, alachlor dissipation was 95-100% in amended and 85-95% in unamended plots.
- Trifluralin dissipation was 70-80% in amended and 60-75% in unamended plots.
Conclusions:
- Combining landfarming and biostimulation, especially with organic amendments, enhances pesticide remediation.
- Organic amendments significantly improve soil bioactivity and accelerate herbicide dissipation.
- The applied remediation strategy shows high efficacy for alachlor and trifluralin removal from contaminated soils.