Atrazine is a widely used pesticide because its efficiency and low cost to control weeds in crops. It has been used in Puerto Rico in pineapple, yams, yautias and banana crops. However, EPA has restricted its use due to its potential health risks for humans and aquatic ecosystems. Atrazine has been found in surface, ground, and drinking waters, especially after heavy rains. Soil amendment has been successfully used to stimulate the degradation of contaminants. This work compared the effectiveness of amending soil with grass clippings compost or vermicompost to reduce atrazine concentration. Decrease in the concentration of atrazine was followed using UV detection after extraction of the pesticide. UV detection allowed a simple way to follow atrazine concentration through the experiment. Results indicated that vermicompost amendment reduced the atrazine concentration by more than half, in the period of the study, being the most effective modification.

Atrazine degradation in Puerto Rico soil amended with compost and vermicompost

245th National Meeting (2013)

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