Understanding mobility of pesticides is an important part of environmental toxicology and chemistry. Pesticides need to be mobile enough to allow them to be transported to the site of action. On the other hand, pesticides that are too mobile will rapidly dissipate once applied to the target area and contaminate water and sediment. Many factors can affect the mobility of pesticides in soil and water including soil characteristics, pesticide properties, and timing of application.
Research in the lab has primarily focused on the transport of herbicides and their metabolites through soil profiles and into groundwater and surface water bodies. Recent research has focused on testing various formulations for their ability to increase the mobility of insecticides. Using formulations to increase mobility is essential for ensuring that insecticides are capable of moving through the soil to reach the habitats of ground-dwelling insect pest such as termites.
Some relevant publications:
Zhao, S., J.B. Belden, J.H. Cink, and J.R. Coats. 2010. Mobility of five termiticides in soil columns. Chapter in Proceedings of the 2010 NCUE. NCUE, Portland, OR, pp 169-174
Arthur, E.L., P.J. Rice, P.J. Rice, T.A. Anderson, and J.R. Coats. 1998. Mobility and degradation of pesticides and their degradates in intact soil columns, Chapter 7 in Environmental Behavior of Pesticides: The Lysimeter Concept. F. Führ, J. Plimmer, R. Hance, and J. Nelson, eds. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. pp. 88-114.
Kruger , E.L., B. Zhu, and J.R. Coats. 1996. Relative mobilities of atrazine, five atrazine degradates, metolachlor, and simazine in soils of Iowa. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 15: 691-695.
Kruger, E.L., P.J. Rice, J.Anhalt, T.A. Anderson, and J.R. Coats. 1996. Use of undisturbed soil columns under controlled conditions to study the fate of [14C]deethylatrazine, J. Agric. Food Chem. 44: 114-1149.
Somasundaram, L., J.R. Coats, V.M. Shanbhag, and K.D. Racke. 1991. Mobility of pesticides and their hydrolysis metabolites in soil. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 10: 185-194.