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SPP 1315: Hydration affected soil: water sorption processes of xenobiotics - experiments and modeling approaches
Project
Project code: DFG SPP 1315
Contract period: 01.01.2007
- 31.12.2010
Purpose of research: Basic research
The sorption of xenobiotics in soil is governed by the physicochemical properties of the sorbate. Likewise sorption depends on the properties of soil organic matter (SOM) as the main sorbent in soil. SOM has a high molecular variability resulting in an amorphous structure and different structural domains. SOM is strongly influenced by environmental factors; hydration status and salts can either increase rigidity or cause softening of SOM. Different SOM domains exhibit different sorption mechanisms. Linear partitioning is assigned to a 'rubbery' phase; non-linear or diffusion limited processes are related to 'glassy' domains. However, knowledge on the variability of SOM and its sorptive properties is still limited. The aims of this project are to elucidate (i) the influence of water content, water contact time and of crosslinking and swelling agents on structural properties of SOM, (ii) the resulting influence on xenobiotic sorption, (iii) which is investigated using selected model sorbates with gradually varying molecular properties, (iv) to analyze experimental data with different mechanism-based isotherm and kinetic models, (v) and to confirm postulated mechanisms by computational chemistry. To this end batch trials are done with a surplus of water, thus initiating kinetic changes in differently preconditioned soil samples. The resulting sorption kinetics and thermodynamics are determined.
Section overview
Subjects
- Soil science
