Copper and zinc adsorption is one of the main phenomena controlling the availability of these metals to plants. As a consequence, studies on the adsorption of such elements in soils may be useful tools to understand the relationship between soil characteristics and retention of these micronutrients. The present study examined the adsorption of copper and zinc in six Latosols (Oxisols) with a wide range of chemical properties. Solutions containing different Cu and Zn concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, and 140 mg L-1) were equilibrated with soil samples to determine whether Cu and Zn adsorption conformed to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and to relate the isotherm coefficients to soil properties. The Langmuir and Freundlich were adequate for providing Cu and Zn adsorption coefficients. The clay and organic matter contents, respectively, were the soil characteristics that best correlated to Cu and Zn adsorption to soils. The studied soils presented both higher adsorption energy and higher adsorption capacity for Cu than they did for Zn. The remaining P was not correlated to Zn adsorption coefficients probably due, to the influence of organic matter on its solution equilibrium P determination. This fact may limit the remaining P ability to predict Zn adsorption to soils with high organic matter content.
adsorption isotherms; micronutrients; Latosols
