Exploring Oxyfluorfen's Environmental Fate: Soil Affinity, Persistence, Degradation Dynamics and Ecological Implications

The growing usage of pesticides in agriculture need to be assessed by measuring the pace at which they absorbed into the soil. This study employed batch equilibrium technique to examine the sorption behavior for studying environmental fate of the oxyfluorfen through meticulous simulation and analyzing complex soil matrices. Determinative experiments with a thorough evaluation of the oxyfluorfen behavior, including its adsorption and desorption characteristics as well as its kinetics of hydrolysis and photolysis degradation. Oxyfluorfen molecules were shown to interact strongly with soils, primarily through physio-sorption mechanisms. Thermodynamic investigation clearly demonstrated exothermic and spontaneous adsorption processes, which were characterized by negative Gibbs free energy values (− 23.5 to −30.1 kJmol⁻¹). Notably, soil no. 6 (Parachinar), which was characterized by a remarkable organic matter concentration (1.88%) and a pH of 9.01, had the maximum adsorption capacity (K_d(ads) = 382.8 gmL⁻¹). The linear and Freundlich models both confirmed that this adsorption behavior followed a C-type isotherm. The half-life of oxyfluorfen was calculated using ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry, and it was found to be 115 days in hydrolysis studies and 3.20 days in photolysis experiments, respectively. These data highlight oxyfluorfen's strong affinity for the chosen agricultural soils, indicating little possibility for degradation resulting in higher persistence. These findings also provide prospects for streamlining degradative pathways, opening the door for workable methods of environmental restoration through organic means.