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Adsorption and Degradation of Phenol at Low Concentrations in Soil¹

ABSTRACT

The adsorption and microbial degradation of labile organic chemicals by soil may be influenced by their concentrations in solution. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of relatively low concentrations of phenol on its adsorption by soil surfaces and degradation by microorganisms, and the variability associated with the adsorption and degradation by two soils. Phenol, an antimicrobial agent at higher concentrations, was equilibrated with Captina (Typic Fragiudult) and Palouse (Ultic Haploxeroll) silt loams at concentrations ranging between 10^–6 (94 µg/kg) and 10^–9M (94 ng/kg) and at equilibration times ranging to 24 h.

Microbial degradation of phenol increased both the sampling variability and the apparent amount adsorbed by the two soils. For sterile soil the adsorbed concentration, S, was more variable than the solution concentration, C, For nonsterile soil, the variability of both S and C increased, with C more variable than S. Microbial decomposition of phenol caused the Freundlich K values to increase to a maximum at 12 h of equilibration. Little or no effect was found on the Freundlich N. Degradation coefficients were higher, and as a result, half-lives were shorter in the Captina soil than in the Palouse. These results showed that K and N of phenol in nonsterile soil could be estimated by extrapolation to time zero.

Key Words: Freundlich K • Freundlich N • adsorption isotherm • soil-water partition coefficient

¹ Contribution from the Dep. of Agron., University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701. The research leading to this report was approved by the Director of the Arkansas Agric. Exp. Stn.

² Professors of Agronomy.

Received for publication March 17, 1982.