Soil atributes that influence the most on zinc retention in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, were evaluated. Laboratory assays were developed with samples from surface and subsurface horizons of the following: four latosols, two podzolics, and one "terra roxa estruturada". Zinc retention was evaluated by equilibrating the samples with solutions containing 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, l.5, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0, 12.0 and 24.0 mg/dm³ of Zn, using CaCl2 solution in the concentration of 2 mol/m³ as support. Coefficients of the Langmuir and Freundlich equations were correlated with several soil attributes. Taking into consideration that binding energy and maximum adsorption of zinc can be evaluated by the coefficients of the Langmuir equation, correlations were obtained using simple linear and multiple regression analysis. Through multiple regression it was evidenced that binding energy was mostly correlated with pH, Fe extracted with ammonium oxalate, and aluminum extracted with citrate-dithionite-bicarbonate. The maximum adsorption was better related to pH and CEC.
zinc; retention; soil properties