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We investigated the adsorption of glyphosate onto five subtropical soils of Paraná and São Paulo states, Brazil, a region of intense agricultural activities, aiming at the determination of kinetic and isotherm adsorption parameters which enable the evaluation of the potential leaching of the herbicide. The adsorption was fast, being described by the pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models, thus suggesting that mixed mechanisms are involved. The Oxisol containing the highest concentrations of metal oxides (209.5 g kg−1 Fe2O3 and 160.2 g kg−1 Al2O3) was the sample with the highest rate constant, indicating the adsorption sites are readily available. All the soils are rich in aluminum and iron oxides, explaining the Freundlich coefficients (KF) between 642 and 1360 mg1-1/n kg−1 L1/n, which are higher than most of the coefficients described for other soils around the world. The maximum desorption (15% of the adsorbed amount) was observed for the Oxisol. For the other soils, desorption ranged from 2 to 7%. These results suggest that the leaching of free glyphosate to nearby surface and groundwaters is unlikely unless excessive doses are used. The adsorption parameters are useful for managing the right doses applied to the crops, thus avoiding contamination of adjacent areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus adsorption in ten soils from Pernambuco State and its relations with physical and chemical parameters. An experiment was carried out to study phosphorus (P) adsorption in ten soil samples from Pernambuco State, Northeastern Brazil. The relationship between physical and chemical soil attributes and P adsorption isotherms were also evaluated. The results showed that maximum phosphorus adsorption capacity (MPAC), remaining P (Rem-P) and the k constant of the Freundlich equation are reliable variables to characterize P adsorption by the soils. Due to its easy determination, Rem-P is the best indicated variable. The parameters of P adsorption MPAC, Rem-P and the k constant of the Freundlich equation showed correlation (p < 0.01) with the chemical attributes potential acidity (H+Al), exchangeable aluminum (Al), exchangeable cation capacity (ECC) and with the physical attributes clay and field capacity (FC). The variables FC, Rem-P, H+Al, Al, ECC and clay, among the chemical and physical attributes evaluated, allowed estimating the MPAC value on the studied soils. The P adsorption energy and the n constant of the Freundlich isotherm were not reliable indicators of the P soil adsorption power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]