• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.249-257
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• 2009

Surface runoff and erosion are responsible for extensive losses of top soil and agricultural productivity. In this study, a laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different polyacrylamides (PAM) on the protection of soil from erosion and turbidity in loamy sand soil. To accomplish this, 10 and 40 kg $ha^{-1}$ of PAM were applied to the soil surface. The effects of rainfall on 10 and 20% slopes were then evaluated in the laboratory using a rainfall simulator. After air drying, the surface was subjected to rain at 30 mm $hr^{-1}$. The silt+clay of the runoff from samples treated with 10 kg PAM $ha^{-1}$ reduced by 43% and 13% when the 10% and 20% slopes were evaluated, respectively, when compared with the tap water without PAM treatment as control. The mean contents of silt+clay were reduced as the amount of PAMs applied increased at both slopes. Specifically, samples treated with 40 kg PAM $ha^{-1}$ showed reductions in the silt+clay of the runoff to 88% and 85% when the 10% and 20% slopes were evaluated, respectively, when compared to control. Furthermore, the mean turbidity of runoff in the 40 kg PAM $ha^{-1}$ treatment was reduced to 94.7% and 84.8% when the samples were subjected to 10% and 20% slopes, respectively, when compared to the control. Taken together, these findings indicate that PAM treatment will improve water pollution and agricultural productivity on sloped land via a reduction in soil erosion.