The knowledge of the factors that influence herbicide leaching in the soil enables the safe use of the product in the environment, besides being fundamental in the formulation of technically correct recommendations. The objectives of this study were to evaluate ametryn leaching in four Brazilian soils with different physicochemical characteristics, and to compare the chromatographic and biological methods in studies on this herbicide's mobility. The substrates used were: Red-Yellow Latosol (LVA) pH 5.40 and pH 6.11, Red-Yellow humic Latosol (LVAh) pH 4.8 and pH 6.24, Red Latosol (LV) and pH 5.00 pH 6.06 and Yellow Latosol (LA) pH 6.30 and 10 depths in the column (0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-20, 20-25, 25-30, 30-35, 35 - 40, 40-45 and 45-50cm) and a control without herbicide application on each substrate, with four replications. The substrates were placed in columns properly prepared for mobility studies. The species Cucumis sativus was used as a bio-indicator of the presence of ametryn. It was concluded that the organic matter levels and soil pH evaluated were the characteristics that most interfered with ametryn's mobility and that the biological assay proved to be effective as an indicator of this herbicide's leaching in the columns. Therefore, the method for biological assays can be used as a preliminary method or as a complement to the instrumental method to confirm results and/or the reduction of costs and analysis time.
herbicide; environmental impact; soil characteristics; bioassay; liquid chromatography
