The herbicide glyphosate and its metabolite AMPA in the Lavaux vineyard area, western Switzerland: Proof of widespread export to surface waters. Part II: The role of infiltration and surface runoff

A study on the Lavaux vineyard terraces in western Switzerland found that glyphosate and its metabolite AMPA are widely exported to surface waters, primarily through surface runoff (96%) rather than soil throughflows. The research, conducted over two growing seasons (2010–2011), revealed elevated concentrations of these chemicals at depths of 60–80 cm in parcel bottoms, indicating infiltration and preferential flows driven by rainfall patterns and soil characteristics. Slope steepness and the presence of impervious weathered marls at 100 cm depth influenced throughflows, contributing to lateral transport. The findings highlight that significant rainfall events (>10 mm/day) accelerate herbicide export from the topsoil, emphasizing the role of precipitation regime and soil structure in contaminant mobility.

Daouk, S., De Alencastro, L. F., & Pfeifer, H.-R. (2013). The herbicide glyphosate and its metabolite AMPA in the Lavaux vineyard area, western Switzerland: Proof of widespread export to surface waters. Part II: The role of infiltration and surface runoff. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 48(9), 725–736. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601234.2013.780548