The Adsorption of Copper by Soil Materials at Low Equilibrium Solution Concentrations

Summary The adsorption of copper by individual soil components (organic matter fractions, oxides and clay minerals) was examined at equilibrium solution concentrations of copper within the range found in natural soils, the distribution of copper between solution and solid phases being measured by means of labelling with radioactive 64 Cu. At these low solution concentrations it was found that the copper adsorption isotherms were essentially linear. The oxides and organic materials adsorbed the greatest amounts of copper. The concentration of copper in natural soil solutions will be controlled by these materials to a far greater extent than by the clay minerals, the influence of which may be negligible in some soils. Solution concentrations of copper are relatively unaffected by both the background concentration of major cations and by changes in pH within the ionic strength and pH range found in normal agricultural soils. Copper adsorption studies with humic and fulvic acids showed that total solution copper concentrations could be greatly enhanced above the equilibrium levels for ionic copper by the presence of soluble organic complexes. The importance of taking into account the presence of such copper complexes in soil copper studies is emphasised.