The fate and mobility of copper from chemical root control barriers in soil and leachate

The use of copper (Cu)-treated containers is common horticultural practice, though the movement of this Cu to soil and water remains unexplored. There fore, the fate and quantity of Cu migrating from the fabric of 10 in-ground Cu(OH)(2)-treated root control baskets was studied in the field. After 3 m onths, 29% of the initial Cu remained on the basket fabric, 71% of the Cu h ad been deposited in the soil, 0.2% was in the leaves and roots of the mapl e shrub (Acer ginnala) growing in the basket, and 0.004% was recovered in l eachate from the baskets. Soluble Cu concentrations in leachate varied betw een 0.5 and 8.5 mg 1(-1) and exceeded 1 mg 1(-1) in 60% of samples. Mycorrh izal inoculation significantly increased the Cu concentration in A. ginnala leaves. Baskets containing no tree had significantly higher soil Cu and le ached significantly more Cu over the 3-month period than treed baskets. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.