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Assessment of bioavailability of soil-sorbed atrazine.

Bioavailability of pesticides sorbed to soils is an important determinant of their environmental fate and impact. Mineralization of sorbed atrazine was studied in soil and clay slurries, and a desorption-biodegradation-mineralization (DBM) model was developed to quantitatively evaluate the bioavailability of sorbed atrazine. Three atrazine-degrading bacteria that utilized atrazine as a sole N source (Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP, Agrobacterium radiobacter strain J14a, and Ralstonia sp. strain M91-3) were used in the bioavailability assays. Assays involved establishing sorption equilibrium in sterile soil slurries, inoculating the system with organisms, and measuring the CO(2) production over time. Sorption and desorption isotherm analyses were performed to evaluate distribution coefficients and desorption parameters, which consisted of three desorption site fractions and desorption rate coefficients. Atrazine sorption isotherms were linear for mineral and organic soils but displayed some nonlinearity for K-saturated montmorillonite. The desorption profiles were well described by the three-site desorption model. In many instances, the mineralization of atrazine was accurately predicted by the DBM model, which accounts for the extents and rates of sorption/desorption processes and assumes biodegradation of liquid-phase, but not sorbed, atrazine. However, for the Houghton muck soil, which manifested the highest sorbed atrazine concentrations, enhanced mineralization rates, i.e., greater than those expected on the basis of aqueous-phase atrazine concentration, were observed. Even the assumption of instantaneous desorption could not account for the elevated rates. A plausible explanation for enhanced bioavailability is that bacteria access the localized regions where atrazine is sorbed and that the concentrations found support higher mineralization rates than predicted on the basis of aqueous-phase concentrations. Characteristics of high sorbed-phase concentration, chemotaxis, and attachment of cells to soil particles seem to contribute to the bioavailability of soil-sorbed atrazine.

Atrazine↗

The potential of soil microorganisms to mineralize atrazine as predicted by MCH-PCR followed by nested PCR.

The potential of soil microorganisms to mineralize atrazine was studied in soil samples collected from fields with various histories of atrazine application. In contrast to many previous studies, which showed no atrazine mineralization activity, all the tested soils mineralized atrazine regardless of their atrazine application history. However, the delay before mineralization and the variation in the subsequent mineralization rate were in agreement with the initial copy number of the atrazine dechlorinaze gene, and the proliferation rate of the degraders. Soils from corn fields, which had up to 100 copies of the atzA gene per gram of soil, had a lag period of 4-5 days before atrazine mineralization started, and final mineralization percentages ranged from 40% to 54%. However, soils from fields that were never amended with atrazine had much longer lag periods (more than 17 days), which decreased after enrichment of the degrader population with high concentrations of atrazine for 15 days. Generally the mineralization rate and the atzA gene copy number increased after the enrichment period. The atrazine mineralization potential was measured by PCR of genes from the atrazine mineralization pathway. Magnetic capture hybridization was the most efficient of the two tested methods for purifying target DNA of PCR inhibitors, without reducing the copy number of the required fragment. Nested PCR proved to be the most effective method for predicting the exact potential of the soil to mineralize the pollutant even without enrichment of a small population with the target genes. This method can complement microcosm studies and eliminate futile efforts when the potential to mineralize the pollutant does not exist in the soil.

Atrazine↗

Effects of atrazine on sexual maturation in female Japanese quail induced by photostimulation or exogenous gonadotropin.

The herbicide atrazine has gained recent attention for its reported effects on reproduction in amphibians. The present study examined the putative effects of atrazine during sexual maturation in the photostimulated female Japanese quail. Furthermore, the effects of atrazine on birds administered exogenous gonadotropin (pregnant mare serum gonadotropin [PMSG]) were investigated. Atrazine was administered up to 1,000 ppm in the diet to female quail undergoing photoperiodically induced sexual maturation. At high dietary concentrations, atrazine exhibits signs of overt toxicity with reductions in growth, feed intake, and liver weights, but these effects were dependent on the timing of treatment administration. Atrazine did not influence the weights of reproductive tissues (ovary and oviduct) or circulating concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH). However, high concentrations of atrazine depressed circulating concentrations of estradiol. Treatment with atrazine for four weeks during sexual maturation inhibited growth but did not affect any other parameter assessed (feed intake, liver, ovary, or oviduct weights or the circulating concentrations of LH and estradiol). In birds receiving daily injections of PMSG, atrazine reduced growth, feed intake, and liver weights. However, PMSG-induced gonadal and oviduct growth was not affected by atrazine. The present results suggest that dietary atrazine exhibits limited reproductive toxicity in female quail during sexual maturation and only at concentrations above ecological relevance.

Animals↗

Fate of atrazine in sandy soil cropped with sorghum.

A field study was conducted to determine the fate of atrazine (6-chloro-N2-ethyl-N4-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) within the root zone (0 to 90 cm) of a sandy soil cropped with sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in Gainesville, Florida. Atrazine was uniformly applied at a rate of 1.12 kg ai. ha(-1) to a sorghum crop under moderate irrigation, optimum irrigation, and no irrigation (rainfed), 2 d after crop emergence. Bromide as a tracer for water movement was applied to the soil as NaBr at a rate of 45 kg Br ha(-1), 3 d before atrazine application. Soil water content, atrazine, and Br concentrations were determined as a function of time using soil samples taken from the root zone. Atrazine sorption coefficients and degradation rates were determined by depth for the entire root zone in the laboratory. Atrazine was strongly adsorbed within the upper 30 cm of soil and most of the atrazine recovered from the soil during the growing season was in that depth. The estimated half-life for atrazine was 32 d in topsoil to 83 d in subsoil. Atrazine concentration within the root zone decreased from 0.44 kg ai. ha(-1) 2 days after application (DAA) to 0.1 kg a.i. ha(-1) 26 DAA. Negligible amounts of atrazine (approximately 5 microg kg(-1)) were detected below the 60-cm soil depth by 64 DAA. Most of the decrease in atrazine concentration in the root zone over time was attributed to degradation. In contrast, all applied bromide had leached past the 60-cm soil depth during the same time interval.

Adsorption↗

Determination of atrazine in water by magnetic particle immunoassay: collaborative study.

A collaborative study was performed to determine mean recovery and precision for analysis of atrazine in drinking and surface waters by immunoassay. The study design was based on the blind duplicate test plan for collaborative studies. Three blank waters (municipal drinking water, well water, and surface water) were spiked at 3 atrazine levels. Two water samples with naturally incurred atrazine loads were also spiked with atrazine at 3 levels. In the enzyme-linked immunoassay method, the water sample is mixed with a pesticide-enzyme conjugate and added to paramagnetic particles with triazine-specific antibodies attached. After separation of antibody-bound atrazine and atrazine-enzyme conjugate from free components, the bound enzyme conjugate catalyzes a reaction producing a colored end product. The color developed is inversely proportional to the original concentration of atrazine in the water sample. Fourteen laboratories participated in the collaborative study. Data were analyzed for repeatability and reproducibility, and average recoveries at the spike levels were calculated. Over the concentration range tested, the mean recovery of atrazine spiked into blank and pesticide-contaminated waters was 104%. Overall RSDR averaged about 40% for atrazine concentrations near the method detection limit (0.05 microgram/L) and about 15% at concentrations above 5 times the detection limit (0.25 microgram/L). Corresponding single-analyst RSDr values were 24 and 10%. Recovery and precision for the 3 blank water matrixes and the waters that had been naturally contaminated with atrazine showed no significant differences. The magnetic particle immunoassay for determination of atrazine in water has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Atrazine↗

Atrazine metabolism and herbicidal selectivity.

Metabolism of the herbicide 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine (atrazine) was investigated in resistant corn (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum vulgare Pers.), intermediately susceptible pea (Pisum sativum L.), and highly susceptible wheat (Triticum vulgare Vill.) and soybean (Glycine max Merril.). This study revealed that 2 possible pathways for atrazine metabolism exist in higher plants. All species studied were able to metabolize atrazine initially by N-dealkylation of either of the 2 substituted alkylamine groups. Corn and wheat, which contain benzoxazinone, also metabolized atrazine initially by hydrolysis in the 2-position of the s-triazine ring to form hydroxyatrazine. Subsequent metabolism by both pathways resulted in the conversion of the parent atrazine to more polar compounds and eventually into methanol-insoluble plant residue. No evidence for s-triazine ring cleavage was obtained.Both pathways for atrazine metabolism appear to detoxify atrazine. The hydroxylation pathway results in a direct conversion of a highly phytotoxic compound to a completely non-phytotoxic derivative. The dealkylation pathway leads to detoxication through one or more partially detoxified, stable intermediates. Therefore, the rate and pathways of atrazine metabolism are important in determining the tolerance of plants to the herbicide. Both quantitative and qualitative differences in atrazine metabolism were detected between resistant, intermediately susceptible, and susceptible species. The ability of plants to metabolize atrazine by N-dealkylation and the influence of this pathway in determining tolerance of plants to atrazine are discussed.

Journal Article↗

Glutathione conjugation: atrazine detoxication mechanism in corn.

Glutathione conjugation (GS-atrazine) of the herbicide, 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine (atrazine) is another major detoxication mechanism in leaf tissue of corn (Zea mays, L.). The identification of GS-atrazine is the first example of glutathione conjugation as a biotransformation mechanism of a pesticide in plants. Recovery of atrazine-inhibited photosynthesis was accompanied by a rapid conversion of atrazine to GS-atrazine when the herbicide was introduced directly into leaf tissue. N-De-alkylation pathway is relatively inactive in both roots and shoots. The nonenzymatic detoxication of atrazine to hydroxyatrazine is negligible in leaf tissue. The hydroxylation pathway contributed significantly to the total detoxication of atrazine only when the herbicide was introduced into the plant through the roots. The metabolism of atrazine to GS-atrazine may be the primary factor in the resistance of corn to atrazine.

Journal Article↗

Characterisation of new strains of atrazine-degrading Nocardioides sp. isolated from Japanese riverbed sediment using naturally derived river ecosystem.

A Gram-positive bacterial strain able to degrade the herbicide atrazine was isolated using a simple model ecosystem constituted with Japanese riverbed sediment and its associated water (microcosm). Treatment of the water phase of the microcosm with 1 mg litre-1 [ring-14C]atrazine resulted in the rapid degradation of atrazine after a 10 day lag phase period. The [ring-14C]cyanuric acid formed was transiently accumulated as an intermediary metabolite in the water phase and was subsequently mineralised through triazine ring cleavage. Possible atrazine-degrading microbes suspended in the water phase of the microcosm were isolated by the plating method while rapid degradation of atrazine was in progress. Among the 48 strains that were isolated, 47 exhibited atrazine-degrading activity. From these 47 isolates, 12 strains that were randomly selected were found to identically convert atrazine to cyanuric acid via hydroxyatrazine. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the genes corresponding to atrazine degradation revealed that these strains at least carried the genes trzN (atrazine chlorohydrolase from Nocardioides C190) and atzC (N-isopropylammelide isopropyl amidohydrolase from Pseudomonas ADP). Physiological characteristics and 16S rDNA partial sequences of six strains that were further selected strongly suggested that all these isolates originated from the same Nocardioides sp. strain. Additionally, only one isolate could mineralise the triazine ring of cyanuric acid. Based on microscopic observations, this strain appears to be a two-membered microbial consortium consisting of Nocardioides sp. and a Gram-negative bacterium. In conclusion, atrazine biodegradation in the microcosm appeared to occur predominantly by Nocardioides sp. to yield cyanuric acid, which could be mineralised by the other relatively ubiquitous microbes.

Actinomycetales↗

In vitro percutaneous absorption and metabolism in man of 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamine-s-triazine (atrazine).

Atrazine is an extensively used herbicide in the USA. Our objective was to determine the absorption and metabolism (detoxification) of atrazine in human skin. Percutaneous absorption of atrazine in human skin from four sources was examined utilizing a flow-through in-vitro diffusion system. About 16.4% of the applied dose was absorbed by the skin. Radioactivity in the receptor fluid at 20 h was less than 5% of the administered dose. The highest concentration of the applied dose was found in the skin supernates, where 12.0% of the dose (68 nmol) was recovered. Some metabolites of atrazine were identified by thin layer and high pressure liquid chromatography after extraction of receptor fluid and the skin supernates. Two metabolites of atrazine [2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-amino-s-triazine (desisopropylatrazine) and 2-chloro-4,6-diamino-s-triazine] were found in the receptor fluid and the skin supernates. An additional metabolite (2-chloro-4-amino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine) was found in the skin supernates. Since desisopropylatrazine represented about 50% of the total metabolites formed during percutaneous absorption, cleavage of the N-isopropyl to the amino product was a key step in the metabolism of atrazine. Further metabolism may proceed by cleavage of the N-deethyl group to give totally dealkylated atrazine. The biotransformation of atrazine was studied in skin microsomal fraction supplemented with an NADPH-generating system. In analogy to metabolism during percutaneous absorption, atrazine was metabolized to its deisopropyl and deethylpropyl derivatives. In addition, 2-hydroxy derivatives of atrazine were formed by the skin microsomal fractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Cutaneous↗

Impact of atrazine on chlorpyrifos toxicity in four aquatic vertebrates.

Atrazine has been shown previously to potentiate chlorpyrifos toxicity in selected invertebrates. This study examined interactions of atrazine and chlorpyrifos in four aquatic vertebrates. Organisms were exposed to binary mixtures of atrazine and chlorpyrifos during toxicity bioassays. Inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE) enzyme activity and chlorpyrifos uptake kinetics were also examined with and without atrazine exposure. Atrazine alone did not affect organisms at concentrations up to 5000 microg/L; however, the presence of atrazine at 1000 microg/L did result in a significant increase in the acute toxicity of chlorpyrifos in Xenopus laevis. Mixed results were encountered with Pimephales promelas; some bioassays showed greater than additive toxicity, while others showed an additive response. No effect of atrazine on chlorpyrifos toxicity was observed for Lepomis macrochirus and Rana clamitans. Atrazine did not affect ChE activity or chlorpyrifos uptake rates, indicating that these toxicodynamic and toxicokinetic parameters may not be related to the mechanism of atrazine potentiation of chlorpyrifos toxicity. Based on the results of this study, it does not appear that a mixture toxicity of atrazine and chlorpyrifos at environmentally relevant concentrations presents a risk to the vertebrate organisms examined in this study.

Animals↗

Atrazine distribution measured in soil and leachate following infiltration conditions.

Atrazine transport through packed 10 cm soil columns representative of the 0-10 cm soil horizon was observed by measuring the atrazine recovery in the total leachate volume, and upper and lower soil layers following infiltration of 7.5 cm water using a mechanical vacuum extractor (MVE). Measured recoveries were analyzed to understand the influence of infiltration rate and delay time on atrazine transport and distribution in the column. Four time periods (0.28, 0.8, 1.8, and 5.5 h) representing very high to moderate infiltration rates (26.8, 9.4, 4.2, and 1.4 cm/h) were used. Replicate soil columns were tested immediately and following a 2-d delay after atrazine application. Results indicate atrazine recovery in leachate was independent of infiltration rate, but significantly lower for infiltration following a 2-d delay. Atrazine distribution in the 0-1 and 9-10 cm soil layers was affected by both infiltration rate and delay. These results are in contrast with previous field and laboratory studies that suggest that atrazine recovery in the leachate increases with increasing infiltration rate. It appears that the difference in atrazine recovery measured using the MVE and other leaching experiments using intact soil cores from this field site and the rain simulation equipment probably illustrates the effect of infiltrating water interacting with the atrazine present on the soil surface. This work suggests that atrazine mobilization from the soil surface is also dependent on interactions of the infiltrating water with the soil surface, in addition to the rate of infiltration through the surface soil.

Adsorption↗

Lack of effects of atrazine on estrogen-responsive organs and circulating hormone concentrations in sexually immature female Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

The widely used herbicide, atrazine, has been reported to exhibit reproductive toxicity in rats and amphibians. The present studies investigate toxicity of atrazine in Japanese quail and its ability to influence reproduction in sexually immature females. Atrazine was administered in the diet at concentrations from 0.001 to 1000 ppm (approximately 109 mg kg-1 per day) or systemically via daily subcutaneous injections (1 and 10 mg kg-1) or Silastic implants. Atrazine did not cause overt toxicity in sexually immature female quail (no effects on change in body weight, feed intake, mortality or on circulating concentrations of the stress hormone, corticosterone). It was hypothesized that if atrazine were to have estrogenic activity or to enhance endogenous estrogen production, there would be marked increases in the weights of estrogen sensitive tissues including the oviduct, the liver and the ovary together with changes in gonadotropin secretion. However, atrazine had no effect on either liver or ovary weights. Atrazine in the diet increased oviduct weights at 0.1 and 1 ppm in some studies. These effects were not consistently observed and were not significant when data from studies were combined. Systemic administration of atrazine had no effect on oviduct weights. Dietary (concentrations from 0.001 to 1000 ppm) and systemically administered atrazine had no effect on circulating concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH). The present studies provide evidence for a lack of general or reproductive toxicity of atrazine in birds.

Administration, Oral↗

Atrazine sorption and fate in a Ultisol from humid tropical Brazil.

This study combined laboratory based microcosm systems as well as field experiments to evaluate the mobility of atrazine on a Ultisol under humid tropical conditions in Brazil. Results from sorption experiments fit to the Freundlich isotherm model [K(f) 0.99 mg kg(-1)/(mg l(-1))(1/n)], and indicate a low sorption capacity for atrazine in this soil and consequently large potential for movement by leaching and runoff. Microcosm systems using (14)C-atrazine to trace the fate of the applied herbicide, showed that 0.33% of the atrazine was volatilized, 0.25% mineralized and 6.89% was recorded in the leachate. After 60 d in the microcosms, 75% of the (14)C remained in the upper 5 cm soil layer indicating atrazine or its metabolites remained close to the soil surface. In field experiments, after 60 d, only 5% of the atrazine applied was recovered in the upper soil layers. In the field experiments atrazine was detected at a depth of 50 cm indicating leaching. Simulating tropical rain in field experiments resulted in 2.1% loss of atrazine in runoff of which 0.5% was adsorbed onto transported soil particles and 1.6% was in solution. Atrazine runoff was greatest two days after herbicide application and decreased 10 fold after 15 d. The use of atrazine on Ultisols, in the humid tropics, constitutes a threat to water quality, causing surface water and ground water pollution.

Adsorption↗

Photocatalytic atrazine degradation by synthetic minerals, atmospheric aerosols, and soil particles.

In this work, the photocatalytic atrazine degradation by seven synthetic minerals and five environmental particle samples was examined to investigate a possible contribution of photocatalysis to the abiotic degradation of atrazine in the environment. Particle suspensions containing 500 ng/L atrazine were irradiated with a sun simulator, and the atrazine degradation was monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Atrazine detection by ELISA proved to be an useful analytical tool because of low cross-reactivity of atrazine metabolites and high sensitivity with detection limits in the lower nanograms per liter range. The atrazine degradation followed first-order kinetics, and the obtained rate coefficients were compared with the rate of direct photolysis. Known photocatalysts, such as TiO2 and ZnO, showed the expected fast photocatalytic degradation (k = 27-327 x 10(-3) min(-1)) of atrazine. The degradation rates detected upon irradiation of titanium-, zinc-, or iron-containing minerals were orders of magnitudes lower (k = 0.15-0.70 x 10(-3) min(-1)) but still significantly faster than direct photolysis without particles (k = 0.10 x 10(-3) min(-1)). With environmental particle samples (soot, fly ash, sand, road dust, and volcanic ash), however, no significant photocatalytic activity was observed (k = 0.07-0.16 x 10(-3) min(-1)). The atrazine degradation rates were in the range of direct photolysis. Thus photocatalysis by aerosol or soil particles appears not to enhance abiotic atrazine degradation in the environment.

Aerosols↗

Influence of smectite hydration and swelling on atrazine sorption behavior.

Smectites, clay minerals commonly found in soils and sediments, vary widely in their ability to adsorb organic chemicals. Recent research has demonstrated the importance of surface charge density and properties of exchangeable cations in controlling the affinity of smectites for organic molecules. In this study, we induced hysteresis in the crystalline swelling of smectites to test the hypothesis that the extent of crystalline swelling (or interlayer hydration status) has a large influence on the ability of smectites to adsorb atrazine from aqueous systems. Air-dried K-saturated Panther Creek (PC) smectite swelled less (d(001) = 1.38 nm) than never-dried K-PC (d(001) = 1.7 nm) when rehydrated in 20 mM KCl. Correspondingly, the air-dried-rehydrated K-PC had an order of magnitude greater affinity for atrazine relative to the never-dried K-PC. Both air-dried-rehydrated and never-dried Ca-PC expanded to approximately 2.0 nm in 10 mM CaCl2 and both samples had similar affinities for atrazine that were slightly lower than that of never-dried K-PC. The importance of interlayer hydration status in controlling sorption affinity was confirmed by molecular modeling, which revealed much greater interaction between interlayer water molecules and atrazine in a three-layer hydrate relative to a one-layer hydrate. The entropy change on moving atrazine from a fully hydrated state in the bulk solution to a partially hydrated state in the smectite interlayers is believed to be a major factor influencing sorption affinity. In an application test, choice of background solution (20 mM KCl versus 10 mM CaCl2) and air-drying treatments significantly affected atrazine sorption affinities for three-smectitic soils; however, the trends were not consistent with those observed for the reference smectite. Further, extending the initial rehydration time from 24 to 240 h (prior to adding atrazine) significantly decreased the soil's sorption affinity for atrazine. We conclude that interlayer hydration status has a large influence on the affinity of smectites for atrazine and that air-drying treatments have the potential to modify the sorption affinity of smectitic soils for organic molecules such as atrazine.

Adsorption↗

Solvent extraction characterization of bioavailability of atrazine residues in soils.

Characterization of pesticide bioavailability, particularly in aged soils, is of continued interest because this information is necessary for environmental risk assessment. The objective of this study was to correlate atrazine residue bioavailability in aged soils, as determined by solvent extraction methods, to atrazine mineralization by an atrazine-degrading bacterium. Webster clay loam and Zimmerman fine sand soils were treated with UL-ring-labeled [14C]atrazine and incubated for up to 8 weeks. At the end of each incubation period, soils were either not extracted, extracted with 0.01 M CaCl2, or extracted with 0.01 M CaCl2/aqueous methanol. Soils were then inoculated with the bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP, which is capable of rapidly mineralizing the atrazine ring. This allowed for the evaluation of the bioavailability of aged atrazine residues without the contribution of atrazine desorption from soil. Results of these studies indicated that the amounts of atrazine residues in aged soils extracted by 0.01 M CaCl2 and aqueous methanol were correlated to amounts of atrazine mineralized by Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. Consequently, 0.01 M CaCl2/methanol extractable atrazine in aged soils may be used to estimate bioavailable residues, and this technique may be useful to determine the bioavailability of other compounds in soils, especially other triazine herbicides.

Atrazine↗

Release of atrazine ((14)C) from two undisturbed submerged sediments over a two-year period.

Through water erosion and runoff, sediment-adsorbed atrazine can undergo sedimentation and accumulation at the bottom of water bodies and become potential sources of atrazine to the water column. The purpose of this study is to determine the fate and release of atrazine ((14)C) to the water column from two simulated undisturbed submerged sediments at two temperature treatments (5 and 24 degrees C) over a 2-year period. Atrazine residue ((14)C) was released from the two sediments and was, primarily, diffusing from the sediment pore water to the water columns. The amount released was affected by sediment type and is related to the sediment's adsorption/desorption capacity. Larger amounts of residue ((14)C) were released to the water columns at 5 degrees C than at 24 degrees C. Atrazine degraded in the shallow submerged anaerobic sediment's water columns over the 2-year period. Less than 2% (percent of applied in atrazine equivalent) of extractable atrazine and metabolites remained in the sediment after 2 years. The amount of nonextractable atrazine residue ((1)(4)C) was significantly higher in sediments at 24 degrees C than at 5 degrees C. In conclusion, atrazine accumulating in shallow undisturbed submerged sediments from nonpoint sources would most likely degrade and/or become nonextractable over time and would have a low probability of becoming a significant source to the water body. The conditions where accumulation and future release of atrazine have a greater potential to occur are under very cold temperatures with low adsorption capacity sediments.

Atrazine↗

Anaerobic treatment of atrazine bearing wastewater.

Performance of mixed microbial anaerobic culture in treating synthetic waste-water with high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and varying atrazine concentration was studied. Performance of hybrid reactors with wood charcoal as adsorbent, with a dose of 10 g/l and 40 g/l, along with the microbial mass was also studied. All the reactors were operated in sequential mode with Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 5 days. In all the cases, COD removal after 5 days was found to be above 81%. Initial COD was above 1,000 mg/l. From a hybrid reactor COD removal after 2 days was observed to be 90%. Atrazine reduction after 5 days by microbial mass alone was 43.8%, 40% and 33.2% with an initial concentration of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/l respectively. MLSS on all the cases were almost same. Increasing MLSS concentration by about 2 fold did not increase the atrazine removal efficiency significantly. Maximum atrazine removal was observed to be 64% from the hybrid reactor with 10 g/l of wood charcoal and 69.4% from the reactor with 40 g/l of wood charcoal. Atrazine removal from the hybrid reactors after 15 days were observed to be 35.7% and 38.7%, which showed that the higher dose of wood charcoal in hybrid reactor did not improve the atrazine removal efficiency significantly. Specific methanogenic activity test showed no inhibitory effect of atrazine on methane producing bacteria. The performance of anaerobic microorganisms in removing atrazine with no external carbon source and inorganic nitrogen source was studied in batch mode. With an initial concentration of 1.0 mg/l, reduction of atrazine by the anaerobic microorganisms in absence of external carbon source after 35 days was observed to be 61.8% where as in absence of external carbon and inorganic nitrogen source the reduction was only 44.2% after 150 days. Volatilization loss of atrazine was observed to be insignificant.

Adsorption↗