Contribution of lipids to the nonlinear sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to soil organic matter

The sorption isotherms of benzene, naphthalene, fluorene and phenanthrene for a suite of whole and lipid-extracted soils are presented. The sorption of benzene to two different peats displays linear characteristics which are consistent with the partitioning model of sorption. The sorption of the PAHs to three different mineral soils show marked nonlinear character. The nonlinear sorptive character of the soil organic matter can be described by site specific sorption occurring within the soil organic matrix. Removal of the lipids via Soxhlet extraction increases the nonlinear character of the sorption isotherms as well as doubles the sorptive capacity of the mineral soils for the PAHs studied. This indicates that the lipids naturally present in the soil strongly compete for hydrophobic sorption sites present in the soil organic matter matrix.