Column Study to Assess the Mobility of Salinomycin in Soil Environment

Aim: Salinomycin sodium (C42H69NaO11) is a polyether ionophore commonly used in poultry industries to prevent coccidial infections and promote growth. Salinomycin sodium (SAL-Na) has high toxicity and possesses the potential to induce fatality upon ingestion, inhalation, or dermal absorption; thus, it is crucial to evaluate its fate in the soil environment. The column study was conducted at laboratory condition to examine the behavior of the Salinomycin sodium and their mobility potential to move to the surface and ground waters in soils with sandy and loamy sand textures.

Sample Location: Agricultural soils with no previous history of exposure to salinomycin were collected from the Macdonald Campus Farm of McGill University in Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada. In the current study, two types of soils are assessed, i.e., HOM-sand and LOM-loamy sand. HOM-sand soil was a Dalhousie sandy soil with high organic matter (HOM-sand).

Results: Soil column leaching experiments indicated that the SAL-Na was undetected in sandy and loamy sand soil leachate. This indicates that the amount added to each column was not leached off the soil fractions as it is strongly sorbed. Compared to sterile soil, nonsterile soil has more movement of SAL-Na. The leachate obtained from the soil column, which had a hydraulic conductivity of 75%, exhibited a greater concentration (0.48 mg/L) of SAL-Na when passed through a phosphate buffer. Additionally, the mobility of SAL-Na was shown to be higher in the nonsterile soil. About 35% of SAL-Na was found in leachate of sandy soil and 20% in loamy sand soils.