Variability of glyphosate and diuron sorption capacities of ditch beds determined using new indicator-based methods

Pesticide sorption to ditch-bed materials can efficiently decrease pesticide concentrations in the flowing water. Pesticide sorption depends on flood characteristics and the nature and abundance of ditch-bed materials, such as soils, living and decaying vegetation and ash. However, the affinities of pesticides for various ditch-bed materials have rarely been investigated, and variations in the global sorption capacity of ditch beds resulting from their heterogeneous compositions and variable flood characteristics have not been determined. Thus, we studied the variability of sorption capacities of ditch-bed materials for glyphosate and diuron in three catchments in France and propose a method for calculating global sorption processes in heterogeneous ditch beds. The methodology consists in estimating a global sorption coefficient for the composite ditch-bed materials (Kdditch) and an indicator of the amount of pesticide potentially retained by sorption during a flood event (SPRI). Furthermore, we computed the Kdditch and SPRI of glyphosate and diuron for 8 ditches subjected to 3h flood events with water levels varying from 0.5 to 15cm. Our results show that increasing the water level from 0.5 to 15cm resulted in a 90% decrease in the sorption capacities of the ditch beds for both pesticides. At a medium water depth of 5cm, SPRI varied from 25 to 51% and from 7 to 35% among the ditches for glyphosate and diuron, respectively. The variabilities of the glyphosate and diuron sorption capacities among the ditches were mainly driven by the nature and abundance of soil and ash. As the management of farm ditches, performed to maintain their hydraulic performance, modifies the abundances of various ditch-bed materials, it constitutes a potential lever of action for water quality improvement. Thus, Kdditch and SPRI could serve as rapid and cost-effective tools for optimizing ditch network management strategies to improve water quality in cropped catchments. [Display omitted] •Kdditch is an indicator of the global ditch-bed pesticide sorption capacity.•SPRI is an indicator of pesticide retention associated to sorption in ditch-beds.•Pesticide sorption capacity varies with ditch material abundance and flood type.•A water level increase from 0.5 to 15cm results in a 90% drop of SPRI.•Soil and ash are mainly responsible for diuron and glyphosate adsorption in ditches.