The transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sandy soils has been studied. In this study, the PAHs were derived from a creosote‐based wood preservative applied to wooden power poles. The observed pattern of distribution differed from that in clay soils, and even the high molecular weight PAHs showed some mobility. In moist soils, PAHs showed a chromatographic separation according to molecular weight, with the smallest molecules moving the greatest distance into the soil profile. Under these conditions, the soil may be considered as a chromatography column and a column capacity factor calculated for the separation of each individual PAH. In this manner, it is possible to relate the movement of these molecules in sandy soil to physicochemical properties and molecular descriptors. First order connectivity index showed the best correlation with transport of PAHs in moist sandy soil.