Distribution coefficients for metals in soils and aquifer materials

Distribution coefficients are useful parameters to describe trace metal distribution between solid phase and solute phase at low trace metal concentration provided that sorption is the controlling process. The database on distribution coefficient determined at low environmentally relevant concentration levels is still very limited and few regression ewuations are available for predicting distribution coefficients from soil and aquifer characteristics. We conduct Batch experiments to measure distribution coefficients on soils and awuifer materials. Most studies are done on samples from our library of soil and aquifer material. In general the distribution coefficients are lower in aquifer materials than in soil, but fotr both materials pH seems to be the dominating parameter for alle the metals studied.