Cadmium Transport Parameters in a Clayey Residual Soil with Different Values of Contaminant pH

Pollutants containing metals are an important source of environmental impact. The contaminant’s pH and the soil are factors that influence the migration in the subsurface. The determination of parameters through analytical solutions is fundamental to predict contaminant subsurface migration in porous media. The objective of this study was to analyze the cadmium (Cd) transport parameters present in solutions with different pH ranges in a clayey residual soil from Southern Brazil. Column tests were carried out with residual soil and contaminant solutions containing the following pH values: 1.35 and 4.50. The transport parameters Rd, kd, and Dh were determined. It was possible to verify that the magnitude of the parameters was increased with a higher pH, a favorable factor for contaminant attenuation.