The effect of soil properties and a synthetic municipal land fill leachate on the retention of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn in soil and sediment materials

Batch equilibrium metal immobilization studies were conducted using seven soils and sediment materials spiked with varying concentrations of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The objective was to examine the potential mobility of metals in subsoils of metals-contaminated sites. Soil pH influenced metal immobilization more than other properties. The inclusion of other property values improved correlation of retention and concentration. Among the metals, Pb was most strongly retained, while Ni was the most mobile. The presence of a synthetic municipal landfill leachate enhanced the dissolved levels of two metals studied (Cd, Ni) in all soil materials.