Due to the importance of studying solute displacement in soil columns to evaluate soil and groundwater pollution risks, and the lack of standardization in the soil column length (L) and also the pore-water velocity () used, this study evaluated the relation of L and with the dispersive-diffusive coefficient (D), the dispersivity (λ) and retardation factor (R) of the potassium ion (K+) in an Oxisol and in a Dystric Quartzarenic Neosol. Five column lengths were tested (0.10, 0.20, 0.30, 0.40, and 0.50 m) and four pore-water velocities (0.62, 0.69, 0.75, and 0.81 m h-1 for the Oxisol and 0.37, 0.40, 0.44, and 0.48 m h-1 for the Neosol). A displacement solution of 130 mg L-1 of K+ was applied to the disturbed soil columns saturated with a 5 mmol L-1 CaCl2 solution. The transport parameters R and D were obtained using the computer program Disp; λ was obtained by the equation D = Do + λ, in which Do is equal to 7.13 10-6 m² h-1 for KCl. The column length and pore-water velocity were related with parameters of the K+ transport in both soils. In the Oxisol, the retardation factor increased with increasing pore-water velocity. In both soils, the retardation factor decreased with increasing column length, the dispersive-diffusive coefficient increased with increasing pore-water velocity and increasing soil column length and dispersivity also increased with increasing column length.
Miscible Displacement; retardation factor; dispersivity; breakthrough curves
