The retention and movement of water and atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6- isopropylamino-s-triazine) was investigated in a calcareous soil (Krome) amended with three types of compost: (1) Clean organic waste (COW)- municipal solid waste cleaned of plastic materials and metal containers, (2) Biosolids (BSD)- sludge from municipal waste and (3) Bedminster (BDM)-a mixture containing 75% COW and 25% BSD. The research was conducted in two phases; a column-leaching study (dynamic) and a batch-equilibrium method (static). The column study demonstrated that while applying simulated rain, atrazine, leached out at a slower rate by 41, 24, and 18% from soil amended with BDM, BSD, and COW composts, respectively, during the first simulated storm event. BDM application resulted in lowest water movement and atrazine-leaching rate compared to the other composts tested. This study suggests that adding 134 t ha-1 of compost to the calcareous soil increased soil water holding capacity, reduced water movement and increased atrazine detention and reduced leaching potential of atrazine thereby reducing the potential for groundwater pollution. This study further demonstrates that soil amendment (particularly BDM) is effective in reducing the leaching potential of atrazine at the low rainfall amounts (corresponding to 0.5 pore volume). However, such amendment may not be effective in preventing leaching under more intense rain conditions or multiple rainfall events (corresponding to 3 or more pore volumes).

Low concentrations of synthetic- or bio-polymers in irrigation water can nearly eliminate sediment, N, ortho- and total-P, DOM, pesticides, micro-organisms, and weed seed from runoff. These environmentally safe polymers are employed in various sensitive uses including food processing, animal feeds, and potable water purification. The most common synthetic polymer is anionic, high purity polyacrylamide (PAM), which typically provides 70 - 90% contaminant elimination. Excellent results are achieved adding only 10ppm PAM to irrigation water, applying 1 - 2kgha+1 per irrigation, costing $4 - $12kg+1. Biopolymers are less effective. Using twice or higher concentrations, existing biopolymers are ≈60% effective as PAM, at 2 - 3 times the cost. A half million ha of US irrigated land use PAM for erosion control and runoff protection. The practice is spreading rapidly in the US and worldwide. Interest in development of biopolymer surrogates for PAM is high. If the supply of cheap natural gas (raw material for PAM synthesis) diminishes, industries may seek alternative polymers. Also "green" perceptions and preferences favor biopolymers for certain applications.