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Evaluation of Some New Tracers for Soil Water Studies¹

ABSTRACT

Six anions which showed potential as tracers of soil water movement were evaluated in laboratory and field experiments. The anions included iodide (I^-), thiocyanate (SCN^-), and four fluorobenzoates: m-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid (m-TFMBA), o-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid (o-TFMBA), pentafluorobenzoic acid (PFBA) and 2,6-difluorobenzoic acid (2,6-DFBA). The sorption and mobility characteristics of the six potential tracers were compared to those of bromide (Br^-), which served as an index tracer in all experiments. Initial tracer concentrations ranged from 20 to 100 mg L^–1. The anions were quantified simultaneously in sub-mL samples of soil solution using a high performance liquid chromatography technique. Batch equilibrations (28 d), and breakthrough curves (7 to 10 d) in a 2.5-m column of loamy sand, under both ponded and trickle-irrigated conditions, indicated that all the tracers except SCN^- were conservative and were not sorbed. SCN^- was not retarded in the column studies but did show a negative mass balance, most likely due to chemical and/or biological transformation. Distribution of a tracer solution applied to a field soil was monitored for 69 d in soil water from suction samplers (1.0- and 1.8-m depth) and in extracts from core samples. SCN^-, I^-, and m-TFMBA showed reduced concentrations relative to Br^- at all sampling times and depths; o-TFMBA, PFBA, and 2,6-DFBA had distributions similar to that of Br^-. These latter three fluorobenzoates show promise as laboratory and field tracers of soil water, particularly where multiple tracing tests or totally exotic tracers are required.

¹ Contribution of the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Water Conservation Lab., Phoenix, AZ 85040.

² Soil Scientist, U.S. Water Conservation Lab., USDA, ARS, 4331 East Broadway, Phoenix, AZ 85040.D

Received for publication December 28, 1983. Accepted for publication March 23, 1984.

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