Sorption of benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE) on a desert soil: Effects of moisture and organic matter

Sorption of Trichlorethylene (TCE) and Benzene onto a desert soil has been investigated, at two different temperatures and various moisture contents, using a gas chromatographic method. Sorption of these two VOCs to the unmodified soil was compared to sorption onto the same soil that was alternately treated with hydrogen peroxide (to remove organic carbon) or with humic acids (to add organic carbon) in order to examine the role of soil organic matter in vapor phase sorption. Results from this study indicate that organic carbon plays only a minor role in sorption at low moisture contents.