Solid-solution partitioning of metals in contaminated soils: Dependence onpH, total metal burden, and organic matter

Environmental risk assessment of metals depends to a great extent on modeli ng the fate and the mobility of metals based on soil-liquid partitioning co efficients. A large variability is observed among the reported values that could be used to predict metal mobility and bioavailability. To evaluate th is, soil-liquid partitioning coefficients (K-d) for many elements but espec ially for the meta Is cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc were compiled from over 70 studies of various origins collected from the literature. The relationships between the reported values are explored relative to variati ons in soil solution pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and concentrations of t otal soil metal. The results of multiple linear regressions show that K-d v alues are best predicted using empirical linear regressions with pH (with R -2 values of 0.29-0.58) or with pH and either the log of SOM or the log of total metal and with resulting R-2 values of 0.42-0.76. A semi-mechanistic model based on the competitive adsorption of metal and H+ [dependent on sol ution pH, total metal content, and log(SOM)] was a better tool to predict d issolved metal concentrations (with R-2 values of 0.61-0.88), with the exce ption of Pb (at 0.35).