Kinetics of speciation of copper, lead, and zinc loaded to soils that differ in cation exchanger composition at low moisture content

A better understanding of the fates of heavy metals in wide range of soils is important in improving efficiency of remediation technologies of heavy metals polluted soils. To contribute to this field we studied the kinetics of speciation of copper (Cu), leaf (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in six soils differed in major cation exchanger composition. Soluble salts of Cu, Pb, and Zn were loaded to the soils, incubated at field moisture contents, and the change in chemical forms of the metals was traced by sequential extraction. In Inceptisols predominated by 2:1 layer silicates and poorly crystalline iron oxides, the added Cu and Pb were found mostly in exchangeable and oxide bound fractions, with decreasing and increasing proportion of the former and the latter during 50 days after addition, respectively. In allophanic and humic Andisols, about 50 to 70% of the total Cu and Pb was found in oxide bound fraction with a significant amount in organically complexed fraction in the latter. The amounts of Cu and Pb in each fraction varied only slightly with time in these soils. The proportion of oxide bound Cu and Pb was relatively low in a kaolinitic Ultisol irrespective of its higher iron oxide content. Zinc was found mostly in exchangeable and soluble fractions except in Andisols. Low crystallinity of oxide minerals as well as their amount is important factors determining heavy metal retaining capacity of soils. The exchangeable and oxide bound heavy metals should be treated separately in models simulating removal of heavy metal cations by washing and electrokinetic methods.