THERMO-IR-SPECTROSCOPY STUDY OF THE ADSORPTION OF TERBUTHYLAZINE BY SOIL FROM THE JEZREEL VALLEY

Adsorption of the herbicide terbuthylazine by a soil from the Jezreel Valley was investigated by thermo-IR-spectroscopy. The adsorption took place mainly by the clay mineral montmorillonite. The adsorbed molecu le was hydrogen bonded via the aniline groups to water molecules which were coordinated to the exchangeable metallic cations. When the sampl e was thermally treated at 115 degrees C interlayer water was evolved, part of the herbicide decomposed and the other part became directly c oordinated to the exchangeable metallic cations. The decomposition pro duct contained a CO group.