AbstractBACKGROUND: Sorption‐desorption processes govern the movement of pesticides in soil. These processes determine the potential hazard of the pesticide in a given environment for groundwater contamination and need to be investigated.RESULTS: In the present study, sorption‐desorption processes of benfuracarb were investigated using a batch method in two mollisols. The kinetics of benfuracarb sorption in mollisols conformed to two‐compartment (1 + 1) first‐order kinetics. The fast sorption rate constant was about 3 times higher for silt loam than for loam soil. However, the slow sorption rate constants were statistically similar for both soils. The concentration‐dependent sorption‐desorption isotherms of benfuracarb could not closely conform to the Freundlich isotherm in mollisols of high organic C content. The computed values of both the sorption (log K) and desorption (log K′) capacities were higher for silt loam than for loam soil. The desorption index (n′/n) values in the range 30.0–41.3 indicated poor reversibility of sorbed benfuracarb in mollisols.CONCLUSION: In view of the strong sorption of benfuracarb in mollisols with only partial desorption, the possibility of the leaching of soil‐applied benfuracarb to contaminate groundwaters appears to be low. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry