Behavioural properties of trace metals in soils

Abstract

Abstract The speciation and spatial distribution of trace metals in soils are closely related to their behaviour in multiphase and dynamic soil systems. The surface reactions at soil-solution-root interfaces are the key to the determination of the amounts of mobile and plant-available metals. The behaviour of trace metals in the soil environment depends to some extent on their origin. Lithogenic metals are associated mainly with primary minerals, and may be phytoavailable under specific conditions in the soil-plant system. Anthropogenic metals show great diversity, but in most cases they are likely to be very mobile and easily available to plants. Forms of the metals of both origins may be transformed due to pedogenic processes and they become “pedogenic” metals, greatly controlled by soil properties. In order to assess the phytoavailability and to accept proper guidelines for permissible trace metal loading, their behaviour in the specific soil environments has to be defined.