Modeling the Transport of Heavy Metals in Soils
Abstract
Retention reactions in soils are important processes that govern the fate of chemical contaminants such as heavy metals in groundwaters. The ability to predict the mobility of heavy metals in the soil and the potential contamination of groundwater supplies is a prerequisite in any program aimed at protecting groundwater quality. Mathematical models that describe the potential mobility of heavy metals must include description of the retention processes in the soil matrix. Extensive research has been carried out to describe the retention-release behavior of several heavy metals in soils. Fuller, Alesii et al., Dowdy and Volk, Ellis et al., and Kabata-Pendias and Pendias, among others, have presented overviews of retention-release and leaching investigations for several heavy metals in soils. The publications also describe soil physical and chemical properties that influence the fate of heavy metals in the soil environment and their potential leaching to groundwater supplies. Over the last two decades, however, only a limited number of investigations have attempted to quantify the heavy metals in laboratory soil columns or in soil profiles under field conditions have only recently appeared in the literature. (ttl)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA229290
Entities
People
- H. M. Selim
- Iskandar K. Iskandar
- M. C. Amacher
Organizations
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory