Evaluation of contaminants retention in soils from Viamao District, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Adsorption is one of the most significant processes in the mobility of soluble pollutants in soils. The aim of this work is to characterize and evaluate the adsorption capacity of soils from Viam (a) over tildeo District, Brazil. The studied ions were lead(total), copper(total), sulfate, phosphate, and potassium. The soils were mapped by remote sensing and characterized by granulometrical and mineralogical techniques. The adsorption tests were made by the contact of soil samples with aqueous solutions. The soils adsorption capacity presented the following trend: Pb-total > Cu-total approximate to PO43- > K+ approximate to SO42+. Adsorption in the soils is strongly influenced by clay content. The adsorption of phosphate, copper, and lead was accentuated by the presence of organic matter. Phosphate adsorption was controlled by oxides and organic matter. Both potassium and sulfate showed insignificant adsorption in the studied soils.