Advanced search
Start date
Betweenand


Tebuthiuron and hexazinone fate in soils with biochar amendment

Full text
Author(s):
Letícia de Pierri
Total Authors: 1
Document type: Doctoral Thesis
Press: Piracicaba.
Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC)
Defense date:
Examining board members:
Jussara Borges Regitano; Luis Reynaldo Ferracciú Alleoni; Eloana Janice Bonfleur; Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri; Etelvino Henrique Novotny
Advisor: Jussara Borges Regitano
Abstract

Biochar amendments to soil has been claimed as a practice with agricultural and environmental advantages. Due to its high reactivity, biochar can interact with organic and inorganic soil contaminants, reducing the pollution potential of toxic elements and pesticides. However, pre-emergent herbicides efficacy can be negatively affected by biochar additions to the soil, which may impose higher doses and increase the environmental contamination risk. In addition, there may be increasing in the pesticide\'s persistence due to retention and lower availability of the molecules induced by biochar amendment to the soil. The interactions between biochar and the pesticides depend on the characteristics of the soil and the herbicide itself, besides the aging and the biochar\'s properties (biomass, pyrolysis T°C and granulometry). Tebuthiuron and hexazinone are herbicides with leaching potential and may have their fate modified due to the presence of biochar in the soil. These molecules have a high half-life time (t1/2) and biodegrade slowly in the environment. Thus, advanced oxidative processes (AOP) can accelerate the decomposition of herbicides and can be a way of incorporate biochar in chemical processes towards pollutants dissipation. We aimed to evaluate the effects of biochar amendments on tebuthiuron and hexazinone dynamics in soils, and the specific objectives were: i) to verify the sorption behavior of these herbicides in response to biochar\'s amendment from different feedstock and pyrolysis T°C, including the influence of factors such as herbicide aging on the soil, biochar particle size and availability of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the soil promoted by biochar addition; ii) to evaluate if the interaction between the herbicides and the biochars affects braquiária (Brachiaria decumbens) control efficiency; iii) to analyze the biochars influence on the dissipation and leaching of tebuthiuron and hexazinone; and iv) to identify the potential use of biochar in AOP as heterogeneous metal catalysts support and as a source of iron for Fenton reactions, as well as to evaluate the performance of these materials in oxidative catalysis of hydrocarbons and herbicides. Sorption experiments, (checking the influence of biochars from different feedstocks and pyrolysis T°C, aging and granulometry, as well as accessing the differences among soil textures), and dissipation and leaching experiments were conducted using radiolabeled herbicides. In parallel, the release of DOC by the biochars and soils was quantified, whereas an experiment in a greenhouse for braquiária control was conducted. The biochars were also evaluated for use as metal catalysts supports and for Fenton reactions, evaluating their performance for herbicides and hydrocarbons oxidation. Although it does not change tebuthiuron and hexazinone leaching class in short term, when considering the aging, the sugarcane straw biochar pyrolyzed at 550°C (PC550), regardless of granulometry, may be useful in the management of high mobility herbicides, especially in sandy soils with low carbon content. In this case, tebuthiuron had its classification modified from \"leachable\" (Kd,app < 5.0 L kg-1) for \"non-leachable\" molecule (Kd,app > 5.0 L kg-1). However, the biochar from poultry manure pyrolyzed at 350°C (DG350) increases the DOC content in the soil, resulting in decreased sorption of the herbicides. The additions of PC550 and DG350 to the soil does not modify the control efficiency of braquiária by highly soluble molecules. Doses higher than the recommended ones promote efficient control, regardless of the presence or absence of biochar in the soil. Tebuthiuron and hexazinone are highly recalcitrant molecules in the environment, having low rates of mineralization and dissipation both in the presence or absence of the biochars PC550 and DG350. The biochar application to the soil barely influenced the herbicides dissipation. The biochars PC550 and DG350 decrease the leaching potential of hexazinone in the sandy soil, but do not affect tebuthiuron leaching in the same conditions. Despite the lower potential for tebuthiuron and hexazinone degradation in relation to the epoxidation of hydrocarbons potential, biochar insertion in the synthesis of catalysts has been proved to be efficient, allowing the use of these wastes in industrial and environmental catalysis processes for pollutants remediation purposes and helping to expand the biochar range of uses. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 14/18293-7 - Tebuthiuron and hexazinone dynamics in soils under biochar application
Grantee:Letícia de Pierri
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate