Sorption study of 25 volatile organic compounds in several Mediterranean soils using headspace–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A sorption study of 25 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in different agricultural soils was carried out by using headspace–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The extraction of the VOCs from soil samples was carried out following the EPA method with some differences such as addition of potassium chloride and different instrumental conditions which provide higher sample throughput. In addition, a complementary study on several procedures for soil fortification with VOCs was also assayed, fortification with minimal sample handling was selected in order to minimise evaporation losses of the VOCs. The effect of clay minerals (7.0–69.7%) and organic carbon (0.2–3.5%) contents on acid and alkaline (pH 5.3–8.8) soils were evaluated. Based on the results, all compounds assayed were more sorbed in alkaline soils than acid ones; chlorobenzenes interact more strongly with agricultural soils than do alkylbenzenes. The organic carbon content affects the sorption of 25 VOCs in alkaline soils (the highest sorption was found for the most organic soil), while in acid soils VOC sorption increases as the organic carbon content decreases. The clay mineral fraction plays an important role in the sorption of VOCs in acid soil owing to π-/n-electron interactions, this effect being more marked for chlorobenzenes.