Extraction of soil solution for environmental analysis

A centrifugation technique was applied to extract the soil solution regarde d to be available for plants and to estimate in it the most mobile part of the soil's metal content. Three soils having different pH, texture and wate r-retention characteristics were contaminated with multicomponent solutions of Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn nitrates and one of them was contaminated+acidifi ed to different extents. The impact of the presence of sewage sludge on ele ment concentrations in the soil solution was also assessed. The release of metals into the liquid phase was high only at excessive metal contamination and extreme acid pollution.