Sorption and desorption of thiamethoxam and atrazine in soil under different management systems

Sorption and desorption of pesticides are important factors that contribute to retention process as well as their environmental fate and bioavailability. This study had the aim to evaluate sorption and desorption of thiamethoxam and atrazine in a typical distroferric Red Latossol under different management systems in a long-term field experiment. The evaluated soil management systems were conventional, integration of crop-livestock and no-tillage. To do so, batch equilibration method was used and soil samples were collected at 0-10 and 10-30 cm depth. In general, a low retention was observed for both pesticides in soil for all management systems. For sorption and considering both depths and all systems, the values of Freundlich coefficients ranged from 0.87 to 4.30 L kg(-1) for thiamethoxam and from 0.98 to 3.55 L kg(-1) for atrazine. Freundlich exponents ranged from 0.53 to 1.70 for both pesticides considering all depths and management systems. Desorption coefficients were mostly greater than sorption coefficients, which suggests the occurrence of hysteresis.