Studies of the leaching of atrazine, of its chlorinated derivatives, and of hydroxyatrazine from soil using 14C ring-labeled compounds under outdoor conditions.

By the use of unperturbed-structure soil columns placed under field conditions, we have evaluated the migration of various 14C ring-labeled s-triazinic compounds (atrazine, its chlorinated derivatives, hydroxyatrazine) into leached water over a 1-year period. The results obtained by determination of the leached radioactivity allow us to establish a classification of the mobility for each product and its possibility of contaminating infiltration water in the soil. Qualitative analysis of the leached residues confirms the predominant presence of deethylated atrazine.