Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the effects of pH and salt level on the soil sorption equilibrium of pentachlorophenol (PCP) which is hydrophobic and ionogenic. Experimental results indicated that the sorption equilibrium constant (Kp) ...
Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the effects of pH and salt level on the soil sorption equilibrium of pentachlorophenol (PCP) which is hydrophobic and ionogenic. Experimental results indicated that the sorption equilibrium constant (Kp) of PCP increased with decreasing pH. A quantitative sorption model involving linear isotherms was estabilished to predict the pH effect on the PCP sorption equilibrium over the pH range from 3 to 8. The model prediction was in good agreement with the experimental data. Also, the Kp increased with salt concentration over the entire pH range. At added salt levels less than 0.1M, increase in Kp was larger than when the added levels were higher than 0.1M. Salt might increase the PCP sorption by inducing 'salting out-effect' or by forming deprotonated PCP-cation ion pairs such as PCP$\^$-/K$\^$+/. Taking the pH range (5-8) and the salt content (up to 50 g/L) in the groundwater of Metropolitan landfill sites into consideration, the results indicated that the retardation factor of PCP in this area might range from 3 to 550 depending upon pH and salt content.