ETU mineralization in soil under influence of organic carbon content,temperature, concentration,and depth

The mineralization of ¹⁴C‐ETU was measured by the evolution of ¹⁴CO₂ and described with a mathematical model consisting of two terms — one term describing the immediate mineralization of ¹⁴C‐ETU and another term describing the first order degradation of humus and/or biomass, where ¹⁴C had been built in. The influence of pesticide concentration, depth of soil, and incubation temperature showed combined interaction effects on the amount of ¹⁴CO₂ formed during the process and on the degradation rate of the pesticide. With the addition of soil extract, a combined effect between concentration and addition of organic extract was seen for the degradation rate, while a three‐way interaction between depth, concentration and organic extract was seen for the formation of ¹⁴CO₂. Degradation of ¹⁴C‐ETU can thus not be described only through investigations of one single of the mentioned parameters.