The sorption of herbicides to soil is a process determinant of its dynamics in the environment. For weakly polar compounds such as acetochlor, organic matter represents the main sorbent in soil. The goal of this study was to evaluate the sorption of acetochlor on soil samples, humic acids and humin from an "Argissolo Vermelho distrófico" (PVd-Paleudult) under no-till and conventional tillage systems. Sorption isotherms were carried out at room temperature and the herbicide concentration was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The samples were characterized by their contents of organic carbon and of humic substances; the humic acids and humin were characterized by elemental analyses. The sorption capacity of acetochlor was higher in the no-till soil (Kd = 1.22 ± 0.11 L kg-1, K OC = 116 ± 10 L kg-1 C) in comparison to that under conventional tillage (Kd = 0.76 ± 0.08 L kg-1, K OC = 86 ± 8 L kg-1 C). This behavior was partially related to the higher organic carbon content of the no-till sample. Sorption by humic acids from conventional tillage soil (Kd = 178 ± 18.9 L kg-1, K OC = 352 L kg-1 C) was similar to that from the no-till soil (Kd = 158 ± 14.6 L kg-1, K OC= 321 ± 30 L kg-1 C); a similar situation was verified with humin. Among the analyzed humic fractions, humin presented the highest sorption capacity (Kd = 1.028 and 1.183 L kg-1, K OC = 2.691 and 2.892 L kg-1 C)
humic substances; soil management; liquid chromatography; organic matter
