Decay characteristics and erosion-related transport of glyphosate in Chinese loess soil under field conditions

The decay characteristics and erosion-related transport of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) were monitored for 35 d at different slope gradients and rates of application in plots with loess soil on the Loess Plateau, China. The initial glyphosate decayed rapidly (half-life of 3.5 d) in the upper 2 cm of soil following a first-order rate of decay. AMPA content in the 0–2 cm soil layer correspondingly peaked 3 d after glyphosate application and then gradually decreased. The residues of glyphosate and AMPA decreased significantly with soil depth (p < 0.05) independently of the slope inclination and application rate. About 0.36% of the glyphosate initially applied was transported from plots after one erosive rain 2 d after the application. Glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in runoff were low while the contents in the sediment were much higher than in the upper 2 cm of the soil