| Abstract: | The adsorption of lead by a non‐contaminated loamy sand soil (Guarda, Portugal) was studied by voltammetric titrations using differential pulse polarography for pH values of 6.0, 6.8 and 7.2 and I of 0.5, 0.1 and 0.01 mol L?1. After lead or soil additions, residual lead in solution was measured in the presence of the soil particles after an equilibration period, thus with minimum sample manipulation. The characteristics of the surface groups were studied by acid base potentiometric titrations. Lead retention by the soil is influenced both by pH and ionic strength of the medium. From the voltammetric data surface constants and total available binding groups have been estimated according to a complex surface model for the different experimental conditions and the results interpreted in terms of the surface characteristics of the soil and the support medium. Surface binding capacities in the range 1 to 70 mmol Pb kg?1 were found depending on the pH and the ionic strength. The behavior found is in agreement with what is known in soil chemistry thus supporting the conclusion that voltammetric methods are quite appropriate for determining the extent of interaction between metal ions and soils. |
