Climate change impacts the subsurface transport of atrazine and estrone originating from agricultural production activities. (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barrios, Renys E.; Akbariyeh, Simin; Liu, Chuyang; Gani, Khalid Muzamil; Kovalchuk, Margarita T.; Li, Xu; Li, Yusong; Snow, Daniel; Tang, Zhenghong; Gates, John; Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon L.
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 265(2020)Part A
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: Climate change -- Subsurface transport -- Trace organics -- Groundwater -- Agricultural production; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Climate change will impact soil properties such as soil moisture, organic carbon and temperature and changes in these properties will influence the sorption, biodegradation and leaching of trace organic contaminants to groundwater. In this study, we conducted a modeling case study to evaluate atrazine and estrone transport in the subsurface under current and future climate conditions at a field site in central Nebraska. According to the modeling results, in the future, enhanced evapotranspiration and increased average air temperature may cause drier soil conditions, which consequently reduces the biodegradation of atrazine and estrone in the water phase. On the other hand, greater transpiration rates lead to greater root solute uptake which may decrease the concentration of atrazine and estrone in the soil profile. Another consequence of future climate is that the infiltration and leaching rates for both atrazine and estrone may be lower under future climate scenarios. Reduced infiltration of trace organic compounds may indicate that lower trace organic concentrations in groundwater may occur under future climate scenarios. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Increased transpiration may reduce biodegradation of atrazine and estrone in the water. Greater transpiration may decrease the concentration of atrazine and estrone in the soil. Leaching rates for both atrazine and estrone may be lower under future climate. Reduced infiltration rates may indicate lower trace organic concentrations in groundwater. Abstract : Future climate conditions in the U.S. Corn Belt may lead to decrease trace organic loading to groundwater through reduced infiltration and leaching. Under other scenarios, drier soil conditions may lead to a reduction in biodegradation of trace organics in vadose zone soil.