Abstract

Even though the most widely-used sorption model is the organic carbon normalized partition coefficient (K_OC) partitioning model and this model provides a good approximation of sorption properties in many cases, it is unreasonable to expect such a simple model to accurately describe a process as complex as sorption of organic pollutants to soil. The one main shortcomings of the K_OC model is; it assumes all organic matter is equally sorptive. Although some studies have reported correlations between K_OC and particular C types, especially aromatic C and alkyl C. Here, alternative causes of K_OC variability are reviewed. Sorption by soil minerals and blocking of sorption sites by minerals or by the lipid fraction of organic matter also altering the physical conformation of the soil organic matter are other possible of K_OCvariability which is making it more sorptive.

Key words: Sorption, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR spectroscopy), clay minerals, soil lipids, conditioning effect, organic carbon normalized partition coefficient (K_OC).