Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #64787
Title: COPPER SOLUBILITY AND SPECIATION OF IN SITU CONTAMINATED SOILS: EFFECTS OF PH AND COPPER LEVEL

Author
item SAUVE, SEBASTIEN - MCGILL UNIVERSITY CANADA
item MCBRIDE, MURRAY - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item Norvell, Wendell
item HENDERSHOT, WILLIAM - MCGILL UNIVERSITY CANADA

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Risk assessment of metal-contaminated soils must consider the forms of bioavailable metal present. Soluble and free ionic Cu are the most readily available. This study attempts to relate these fractions to easily measured parameters such as soil pH (acidity), total soil Cu, and organic matter. Soils with and without long term contamination with Cu were studied, including urban, agricultural, and forest soils from Quebec (Canada), New York State (USA), and Denmark. We found that soluble Cu in dilute calcium chloride extracts could be estimated approximately from total soil Cu. The free ionic Cu could be approximated from total soil Cu and soil pH. These results will be useful in assessing risks associated with copper-contaminated soils.

Technical Abstract: Soil copper was fractionated into soluble ionic Cu, total soluble Cu, and total soil Cu by extraction with 0.01 M calcium chloride. The pCu [i.e. -log(Cu2+)] was measured with a copper selective ion electrode. Soluble Cu in extracts and total Cu in acid digests of each soil were determined by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Soils with and without long term contamination with Cu were studied, including urban, agricultural, and forest soils from Quebec (Canada), New York State (USA), and Denmark. The pCu ranged from 12.21 to 6.18. Soluble Cu was reasonably-linearly related to total soil Cu. The pCu could be predicted reasonably-well from regressions against total soil Cu and soil pH. Predictive equations are given for soluble Cu and pCu. Relationships with organic matter could not be explored statistically with this data set because of strong correlation between total Cu and organic matter.