Which property of a pesticide increases its likelihood of moving with water in surface runoff?

High solubility in water significantly increases the likelihood of a pesticide moving with surface runoff. When a pesticide is highly soluble, it can easily dissolve in water, making it more likely to be transported during rainfall or irrigation events that create surface runoff. As water flows over the land, it can pick up dissolved substances, including soluble pesticides, and carry them into nearby waterways or other areas.

In contrast, pesticides with low solubility tend to remain in the soil rather than being washed away, which minimizes their movement in runoff. Volatility pertains to how easily a pesticide turns into vapor, which is less relevant in the context of surface runoff, while toxicity relates to the harmful effects of the pesticide rather than its mobility. Thus, the solubility characteristic is crucial in determining how and where pesticides may be transported through runoff.