2,4-D mobility in clay soils: Impact of macrofauna abundance on soil porosity

All the four soils studied sorbed the herbicides, more importantly 2,4-DCP, the metabolite, than 2,4-D itself. The distribution coefficients for 2,4-D sorption were linear and varied between 1 and 4 while those for 2,4-DCP were above 10. The contents of iron and aluminum have an important role in the adsorption of these two compounds. In aerobic conditions, the herbicides half-life was about 2 days. Water movement occurred in physical equilibrium in three of the four soils; soil dispersivity ranged from 1.2 to 7 cm, clay content being the main factor. After 20 to 60 days depending on the soil, no 2,4-D leaching was observed through the soil columns, except for one soil were there was preferential flow. Earthworms burrows were exhibited and quantified in the soils samples through the analysis of Computer Tomography (CT) images, they appeared as small, snail-shaped, rounded volume of 3 to 7 mm radius with a higher density with respect to the surrounding soil. They were extracted from the original data using a combination of image processing and mathematical morphology operators. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that preferential flow caused by both high clay content and the presence of macrofauna pores significantly reduces the buffering capacity of the soil, increasing the risk of contamination by herbicides of the underlying aquifer.