Use of raw or incubated organic wastes as amendments in reducing pesticide leaching through soil columns

Soil amendment with organic wastes is becoming a widespread management practice since it can effectively solve the problems of uncontrolled waste accumulation and improve soil quality. However, when simultaneously applied with pesticides, organic wastes can significantly modify the environmental behaviour of these compounds. This study evaluated the effect of sewage sludges (SS), grape marc (GM) and spent mushroom substrates (SMS) on the leaching of linuron, diazinon and myclobutanil in packed columns of a sandy soil with low organic matter (OM) content (<1%). Soil plus amendments had been incubated for one month (1 m) or 12 months (12 m). Data from the experimental breakthrough curves (BTCs) were fitted to the one-dimensional transport model CXTFIT 2.1. All three amendments reduced leaching of linuron and myclobutanil relative to unamended soil. SMS was the most effective in reducing leaching of these two compounds independent of whether soil was incubated for 1 m or 12 m. Soil amendments increased retardation coefficients (Rexp) by factors of 3 to 5 for linuron, 2 to 4 for diazinon and 3 to 5 for myclobutanil relative to unamended soil. Leaching of diazinon was relatively little affected by soil amendment compared to the other two compounds and both SS and SMS amendment with 1 m incubation resulted in enhanced leaching of diazinon. The leaching data for linuron and myclobutanil were well described by CXTFIT (mean square error, MSE < 4.9 . 10(-7) and MSE < 7.0 . 10(-7) respectively) whereas those of diazinon were less well fitted (MSE <2.1 . 10(-6)). The BTCs for pesticides were similar in soils incubated for one month or one year, indicating that the effect of amendment on leaching persists over relatively long periods of time. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.