Quantification of total native compounds on phenanthrene-specific adsorption sites in the very slow desorption domain of 16 sediments and soils

We determined the maximum amount of added phenanthrene that could be adsorbed in the very slow desorption domain of 16 sediments and soils with and without native compounds present. The differences in the amount of phenanthrene taken up in this domain with and without native compounds present indicates to what extent native compounds occupy those adsorption sites in the very slow desorption domain which may accommodate phenanthrene. For the two aquifer materials, presence of native compounds was less than the uncertainty associated with the methodology. For the sediments, 41–84% of the adsorption sites appeared to be occupied by native compounds.