Effects of accumulated straw residues on sorption of pesticides and antibiotics in soils with maize straw return

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2021-09, Vol.418, p.126213-126213, Article 126213
• Main Authors: Jing, Xudong, Li, Qian, Qiao, Xianliang, Chen, Jingwen, Cai, Xiyun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Leaching; Organic contaminants; Sorption; Straw decomposition; Straw residues
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126213

Outspread straw return practice leads to accumulation of structurally diverse organic materials in soils, including raw straw and straw residues. This practice provides a supplementary source of organic sorbents for compounds released into soils. However, effects of accumulated straw materials on sorption of compounds in soils remain poorly understood. Here we report that straw materials accumulated in soils display changing chemical structure and properties during decomposition, the majority of which distribute in exponential growth or decay manners with decomposition extents of materials. Sorption of straw materials toward 40 commonly used pesticides and antibiotics takes a compromise of decreasing crystalline index and increasing water absorption capacity of the sorbent materials during decomposition. This tradeoff in sorption leads to case-specific sorption trends of organic compounds in soils with straw return practice, following a composite linear sorption model of mixed soils and straw materials. The predictive model shows that relatively hydrophobic, hydrogen bond acceptor-rich chemicals (about 22.5% of the 40 compounds) display decreasing sorption capacity in organic matter-rich and/or relatively acidic soils with straw return. This finding may contradict the notion that crop straw return usually increases sorption and decreases leaching of compounds in soils. [Display omitted] •Property alterations of straw during decomposition follow exponential growth or decay models.•Sorption of straw residues toward compounds takes a compromise of properties of plant litter.•Sorption of compounds on soils with straw return is dependent of soils, compounds and plant litter.•Sorption of compounds on soils with straw return is predicted by a composite linear sorption model.