SORPTION PHENOMENA AT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLID-SURFACES

Sorption phenomena from the aqueous and from the gaseous phase to soli d surfaces play an important role for the fate of inorganic and organi c compounds and of bacteria in the environment. Case studies illustrat ing the role of different sorption mechanisms for various classes of c ompounds and for bacteria are presented. They show that sorption at so lid surfaces ranges from weak unspecific interactions to very specific and strong complexation. Strong surface complexation in particular af fects the surface reactivity. Studies of model systems provide a conce ptual framework to understand and predict the behavior of substances a nd of bacteria in complex environmental systems, such as aquifers and sediments.