Biodegradation of 2,4-D herbicide as affected by its adsorption-desorption behaviour and microbial activity of soils

The adsorption-desorption behaviour and the degradation of an ionic herbicide (2,4-D) were examined using 10 soils from New Zealand that differed in their organic matter and clay content. Adsorption isotherms for 2,4-D were adequately described by the Freundlich isotherm and the values of the exponent N of the Freundlich isotherm were close to 1 (0.92-0.98), indicating that the adsorption isotherm tended to become linear. The extent of adsorption, as measured by the distribution coefficient (K-d), increased with an increase in soil organic carbon. The rate of desorption of 2,4-D followed first-order reaction kinetics with respect to surface concentration, and decreased with an increase in the organic carbon content of the soils. The rate of degradation of 2,4-D, as measured by the half-life (t(1/2)), decreased with an initial increase in soil organic carbon, which is attributed to the increase in adsorption. With increasing adsorption, the rate of desorption decreased, resulting in a low concentration of 2,4-D in the soil solution that is available for microbial degradation. When the organic carbon content was more than 12%, however, both the adsorption and rate of degradation increased. The enhanced degradation of 2,4-D at these levels of organic carbon may be related to the increased biological activity of the soil, as measured by substrate-induced respiration, and the decreased 2,4-D-induced inhibitory effect on microbial activity.