ABSTRACT
Significant quantities of organic chemicals are released into the environment each year as a result of their manufacture, storage, use, and disposal. These compounds can migrate through the soil column and enter the groundwater, where they may reside for years. Soil matrix components are generally grouped into two main categories, inorganic and organic. The most commonly identified inorganic soil components are the mineral particles of clay, silt, sand, and gravel. These particles are distinguished by their size and constitute the bulk of the soil on a mass basis. Isotherm studies have been performed to determine the sorption capacity of a sorbent for a sorbate. Isotherm studies conducted on soil-pesticide systems indicate that several sorbent properties affect the sorption capacity. The use of distribution coefficients, normalized for organic carbon content, assumes that all organic carbon or organic matter will interact in an identical fashion with a given neutral organic compound.
