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Abstract Lead, copper, nickel, and zinc adsorption by and desorption from pH‐adjusted soils has been studied. Surface and subsurface horizon samples of two soils were equilibrated with varying amounts of Ca(OH) 2 prior to metal addition. The amount of all four metals retained was dependent upon pH of the soil sample, with retention dramatically increasing above pH 7.0 to 7.5. With the exception of Ni, at least 70 to 75% of the retained metal was extractable in 0.01 N HCl. Nickel was somewhat less extractable, with that sorbed by the highest pH soils being the least extractable. Based on subsequent extractability, the soils used appeared to have specific adsorption sites for Pb, Ni, and Cu but little or none for Zn. These studies cast some doubt on the concept of pH management for immobilizing heavy metals placed on the land in that sorbed metals were substantially extractable by 0.01 M HCl, which has been used to estimate plant availability of soil ions.
Robert D. Harter (Sat,) studied this question.