Due to the scarce information available in the lit eratu re on the glyphosa te and imazapyr mobility in low activity soils, which is common in the tropical countries, a laboratory study was conducted on the vertical mobility of these herbicides in two soils with different physical and chemical compositions . For studying this mobility, the soil columns with different heights were submitted to a water flux of 40 mm h-1 over a 4 h period after the product applications in a commer ci al d os ag e of 4 L ha -1. The residue analyses at different depths were realized by the voltametric (polarographic) and HPLC methods for glyphosate and imazapyr respect ively. Based on the results it was possible to conclud e that: a) the voltametric method for glyphosat e and the HPLC for imazapyr are both adequate for st udying the identification and quantification of residues in water and soil; b) the boundaries of residue quantification were 0.4 μg mL-1 and 5 μg L-1 fo r glyphosa te and imaza pyrrespectively; c) the glyphosate recuperation rate in the soil samples (76 and 78% for Viçosa and Sabará soi ls, res pectively) was lower th an in the wat er sampl e (83%); d) the imazapyr recuperation rate in water and soil was about 100%; e) the glyphosate leaching in the studied soils was very low;f) the imazapyr presented high leaching although differentiate between the studied soil s being highe r in th e sandy loam texture soil of Viçosa than in the one of clay in Sabará.
Herbicides; voltametric; polarography; chromatography; HPLC