EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SURFACTANTS ON THE MOBILITY OF SELECTED NONIONIC PESTICIDES IN SOIL

The influence of the surfactants tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide(c ationic), lauryl sulphate (anionic) and tween 80 (non-ionic) on the le aching of the pesticides diazinon, atrazine, metolachlor and acephate in soil was studied by using soil thin layer chromatography, C-14-labe lled pesticides and a linear analyser for measuring the mobility param eter R(f). The results obtained are quite interesting in that they sup port the use of surfactants for solving soil pollution problems caused by pesticides. The increase or decrease of pesticide mobility in soil was found to depend on the chemical nature of the surfactant, its con centration in the soil or in the leaching water and the pesticide hydr ophobicity, Consequently the surfactant of choice and its concentratio n will be dictated in each case by the nature of the pesticide involve d and the specific problem faced (pesticide immobilization or leaching ).