Sorption behaviour of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1, 1-dimethyl urea on soil

The sorption capacity of three· soil samples containing organic matter between 0.52 and 1.66% and clay fraction between 1.30 and 4.60% for 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-l,l-dimethyl urea (diuron) in aqueous solution was examined at 29°C. It was found that between 40 and 60% of the herbicide was adsorbed by the soils and that the sorption capacity depended on the total colloidal fraction of the soils. The soil/water adsorption coefficient , Kd, of the herbicide was used to assess the relative phytotoxicity of the herbicide in the given soils.