1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D) is a fumigant used to control nematodes, insects and disease organisms in the soil. Regardless of the application method, the possibility of offsite transport of this fumigant due to volatilization may subsequently result in human exposure through inhalation. The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has employed emission data from field studies and implemented mitigation measures to minimize both the loss of the fumigant to the environment and the impact of the loss of the fumigant on bystanders. However, the available data is limited; therefore, DPR combines computer modeling with field studies to expand its ability to estimate the emission of fumigants for different application methods and under different environmental conditions. HYDRUS is the primary model used by DPR to simulate the emission of fumigant from soil to the atmosphere. HYDRUS is a numerical model that solves the Richards equation for saturated and unsaturated water flow and convection-dispersion type equations for heat and solute transport.  In this study, we evaluate the applicability of the HYDRUS model to estimate 1,3-D emissions using the conventionally collected data. We use several statistical measures including error estimates, dimensionless efficiency tests, and a test of significance in linear relation to evaluate HYDRUS model’s performance. We show that simulated fluxes by the HYDRUS model are comparable to those estimated using in field studies, thereby supporting the use of HYDRUS to estimate the emission rate of 1,3-D from the application area.

Comparison between field-estimated and HYDRUS-simulated emission of 1,3-Dichloropropene from agricultural fields

2019 Fall National Meeting

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