ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the sorption processes between solutes (i.e., liquid organic pollutants) and solids (i.e., soils). The sorption of liquid-solid systems has been studied by various investigators. They have correlated the sorption characteristics with physical properties of soils and solutes. The contamination of surface and subsurface environment due to toxic and hazardous pollutants has become a serious problem as it threatens the human lives. Various standards regarding the drinking water, industrial effluents and waste disposal have been set up by regulatory agencies in order to minimize the health hazards. The transport and fate of the contaminants in ground water systems are found to be dependent upon the chemical and biological reactions including binding rate, capacity and strength of pollutants to soil particulates. The binding of contaminants may be through the ion exchange reactions, adsorption or precipitation on the soil particles. Batch adsorption studies were conducted both in kinetic and equilibrium mode.
