Copper,Zinc, and Lead Fractions in Soils Long-Term Irrigated with Municipal Wastewater

Long-term irrigation with municipal wastewater may lead, even in spite of intense farming, to an accumulation of organic matter, nutrient elements, and trace metals in soils. Excessive increases of heavy metals may pose a potential risk to the food chain and provoke restrictions for the further cultivation of sensitive crops. Copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) forms in soils under long-term irrigation (for 100–120 years) with treated wastewater of Wroclaw were investigated by using selective seven-step sequential extraction (procedure of Zeien-Bruemmer) for partitioning the metals into operationally defined fractions, likely to be released in solution under various environmental conditions. The largest fraction of Cu, Pb, and particularly Zn in nonirrigated (control) soils was strongly bound in a residual form, while the percentage of exchangeable and the most labile fractions were negligible. Total concentration of metals in irrigated soils was elevated, and significant redistribution of metals among phases was observed. Percentages of residual fraction of Cu and Pb were no more than 25% (Zn < 40%), while significantly increased contribution of fractions occluded on iron (Fe) oxides and organically bound Cu. Exchangeable and readily mobile forms of Zn are predominant zinc fractions in soils irrigated with wastewater.     

Soil Test to Predict the Copper Availability in Pasture Soils

Abstract

The proportion of copper (Cu) that can be extracted by soil test extractants varied with the soil matrix. The plant‐available forms of Cu and the efficiency of various soil test extractants [(0.01 M Ca(NO₃)₂, 0.1 M NaNO₃, 0.01 M CaCl₂, 1.0 M NH₄NO₃, 0.1 M HCl, 0.02 M SrCl₂, Mehlich‐1 (M1), Mehlich‐3 (M3), and TEA‐DTPA.)] to predict the availability of Cu for two contrasting pasture soils were treated with two sources of Cu fertilizers (CuSO₄ and CuO). The efficiency of various chemical reagents in extracting the Cu from the soil followed this order: TEA‐DTPA>Mehlich‐3>Mehlich‐1>0.02 M SrCl₂>0.1 M HCl>1.0 M NH₄NO₃>0.01 M CaCl₂>0.1 M NaNO₃>0.01 M Ca(NO₃)₂. The ratios of exchangeable: organic: oxide bound: residual forms of Cu in M1, M3, and TEA‐DTPA for the Manawatu soil are 1:20:25:4, 1:14:8:2, and 1:56:35:8, respectively, and for the Ngamoka soil are 1:14:6:4, 1:9:5:2, and 1:55:26:17, respectively. The ratios of different forms of Cu suggest that the Cu is residing mainly in the organic form, and it decreases in the order: organic>oxide>residual>exchangeable. There was a highly significant relationship between the concentrations of Cu extracted by the three soil test extractants. The determination of the coefficients obtained from the regression relationship between the amounts of Cu extracted by M1, M3, and TEA‐DTPA reagents suggests that the behavior of extractants was similar. But M3 demonstrated a greater increase of Cu from the exchangeable form and organic complexes due to the dual activity of EDTA and acids for the different fractions and is best suited for predicting the available Cu in pasture soils.     

Redistribution and Availability of Iron,Manganese, Zinc,and Copper in Four Malian Agricultural Soils Amended with Solid Municipal Waste Compost

Abstract

Municipal waste compost can improve the fertility status of tropical soils. The redistribution of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in tropical soils after amendment with solid municipal waste compost was investigated. Four tropical agricultural soils from Mali characterized by poor trace‐element status were amended with compost and incubated for 32 weeks at 35°C. The soil were analyzed at the beginning and the end of the incubation experiment for readily available fractions, organic fractions, and residual fractions as operationally defined by sequential extraction. Readily available Fe increased significantly with compost application in most soils. Readily available Mn was mostly unaffected by compost application. After 32 weeks, readily available Zn had increased, and readily available Cu had decreased. Readily available levels of the elements remained greater than deficiency levels in the compost‐amended soils. Organic fractions of the elements increased after compost addition. The organic fractions and residual forms, depending on the element and the soil, remained constant or increased within the duration of the experiment.     

Distribution and Availability of Zinc and Copper in Benchmark Soils of Pernambuco State,Brazil

Abstract

The benchmark soils collection of Pernambuco state contain 13 of the 14 soil orders of the Brazilian System of Soil Classification. Thus, information on zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) status in such soils is useful as a reference of micronutrient distribution and availability in a representative set of Brazilian soils. The present work was performed to assess Zn and Cu distribution into operationally defined fractions of benchmark soils of Pernambuco state. In addition, chemical extractants, with contrasting chemical properties, were used to assess the availability of these micronutrients to relate such values with fertility guidelines concentrations and with the fractions defined by the sequential extraction. The results demonstrated that the organic matter was the most important fraction retaining Zn and Cu in the studied soils, as indicated by the sequential extraction. The Zn availability in the majority of the soils (90% of the samples) is sufficient to meet the requirement of the major field crops, although the available Cu concentrations are below the critical levels for plant growth in 46% of the analyzed samples. Mehlich‐1 extractant appeared to be the most efficient in predicting the availability of Zn in the soils because of its better correlation with exchangeable and organic fractions. DTPA and Mehlich‐3 were the most efficient extractants for the evaluation of Cu availability, as suggested by the better correlation with organic matter, which is the main pool of available Cu in the soils.     

Estimating Trace Element Availability in Soils with a Seasonal Water Table using Commercially Available Protocols

The soil accumulation of metals and other elements as a result of human activities is a global concern. This investigation involves the use of commercially available extractions to estimate elemental abundance and availability. The need exists, especially in poor nations, to have cost-effective analytical capabilities to perform an initial screening of a soil resource to determine if a problem exists. Three extraction protocols are proposed: (i) an aqua regia digestion to estimate a baseline geochemistry, (ii) a pyrophosphate extraction to estimate elemental abundances associated with the soil organic fraction, and (iii) a water extraction to estimate the most available fraction. If the soil resource is impacted, then more refined and traditional methods are required to document the extent of impact for possible remediation. The three extraction protocols were applied to soils with little impact to illustrate the assessment potential for selected metals and p-block elements.     

Positive Effects of Biochar and Biochar-Compost on Maize Growth and Nutrient Availability in Two Agricultural Soils

Previous studies have reported positive, negative, or neutral effects on maize yield by the application of biochar and/or compost in the presence or absence of inorganic fertilization. This study investigated the influence of biochar, compost, and mixtures of the two, along with N fertilization, on maize (Zea mays L.) growth and nutrient status in two agricultural Mediterranean soils. Biochars (BC) were produced from grape pomace (GP) and rice husks (RH) by pyrolysis at 300°C (BC-GP; BC-RH). Maize was grown for 30 days after seedling emergence in a greenhouse pot trial in two Mediterranean soils (Sandy Loam-SL and Loam-L) amended with biochar or/and compost (BC-GP+compost; BC-RH+compost) at 2% (w/w) application rate with nitrogen (N) fertilization. The addition of BC-GP amendment resulted in the highest increase of aboveground dry weight (16 g/pot) compared to the control (6.27 g/pot) in SL soil, whereas in L soil the highest increase of aboveground dry weight resulted from BC-RH+compost (13.03 g/pot) compared to the control (2.43 g/pot). The addition of BC-GP+compost significantly increased phosphorus (P) concentration of the aboveground and belowground tissues only in L soil. Potassium (K) concentration of aboveground and belowground tissues significantly increased almost by all the amendments with the greatest increase being observed after the addition of BC-GP+compost in SL soil. To conclude, biochar addition could enhance plant growth, although soil conditions, type of biochar and additional fertilization should receive special attention in order to be used as a tool for sustainable agriculture.     

Distribution of Copper in Sediments from Fluvial Reservoirs Treated with Copper Triethanolamine Complex Algicide

The control of algal growth in water reservoirs with copper-based algicides leads to elevated sediment Cu concentration and thus could affect long-term water quality. To assess the potential mobility of sediment-associated Cu, a study was conducted using samples from three drinking water reservoirs treated with Cutrine®, a copper triethanolamine complex algicide. Total Cu (Cu_T) in treated reservoir sediment ranged from 13.3 to 139.9 mg Cu kg^?1 and was on average 1.5 times the level in streams (48 mg Cu kg^?1) flowing into the reservoirs. Sediment Cu_T and algicide application history indicated the retention of 82–93% of the algicide Cu applied. Sequential extraction showed that Cu primarily accumulated in the residual fraction (60%), whereas the potentially mobile pools (water extractable: Cu_H2O, exchangeable: Cu_EX, organic bound) accounted for <10% of Cu_T. The leachable Cu fraction (extracted with 1 M acetic acid) also amounted to <9% of Cu_T and was related negatively to C/N and positively to H/C ratios of organic matter. In addition, these potentially mobile fractions were found to be related, not to total organic C, but to sediment respiration suggesting that the potentially mobile Cu fractions were primarily associated with aliphatic and readily biodegradable C (more so than total organic C). During a 2-year period without algicide treatment (that followed 4 years of repeated algicide applications to one of the studied reservoirs), mean dissolved Cu (micrograms per liter) in the reservoir (39.2) was similar to levels measured at locations upstream (43.3) and downstream (47.2) from the reservoir. These results indicate that the bulk of sediment Cu is associated with geochemically stable solid phases and thus should alleviate concerns about Cu transfer into the water column.     

Phosphorus Availability in Soils Amended with Different Phosphate Fertilizers

Abstract

Accurate measurement and characterization of phosphate rock dissolution are important for a better understanding of phosphorus (P) availability in soils. An incubation study was carried out on two New Zealand topsoils (0–15 cm; high P buffering capacity Craigieburn and low P buffering capacity Templeton) amended with North Carolina phosphate rock (NCPR) and water‐soluble phosphate (WSP) at 218 mg P kg^?1 (equivalent to 60 kg P ha^?1). Isotopic exchange kinetics was carried out after 12 h and 28 days of incubation to characterize P availability. This study showed that sensitivity of capacity factors (r₁/R, n) to explain changes in E_1min values was affected by the P buffering capacity of the soils. The recovery of applied P in the E pool (Rec_inE%) with extended incubation time was similar from the NCPR and WSP treatments (3.1–3.3%) in the Craigieburn soil compared with the Templeton soil in which Rec_inE% values were greater in WSP (9%) than NCPR (1.3%) treatment. The higher values of P derived from the applied P fertilizers in the E pool (Pdff_inE%>80%) suggested that the NCPR application in both soils would be efficient for increasing P availability to plants.     

Characterization of the Soil Organic Matter in Agricultural Mine Spoils and Reclaimed Soils Treated with Organic Amendments

Recycling organic waste in agricultural soils is a valid solution. We performed short‐term experiments to investigate the fate of urban sludge and composts, in mine spoils, cultivated or uncultivated, and reclaimed soils located in Florence and Milan, Italy. The samples, either treated or untreated, were fractionated by density into light (<1.63 Mg m^?3) and heavy (>1.63 Mg m^?3) fractions. The fractions were analyzed for total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents and for δ ¹³C and δ ¹⁵N isotopes, and they were characterized by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Treatment increased the heavy fraction. The addition of sludge in the Florence area acts in synergy with the cultivation, increasing the light fraction (LF). In the Milan area, the LF tends to be decomposed and apparently transformed into HF. The addition of amendments or cultivation enhances the decomposition with release of carbon dioxide. For future research, we suggest lengthening the time of the experiments to integrate climatic variations.     

Modeling Herbicide Movement to Ground Water in Irrigated Sandy Soils of the San Joaquin Valley, California

A semi-empirical probabilistic transport model was developed to simulate simazine and diuron well water concentrations in an agriculturally intensive coarse soil region of Fresno County, California. Model inputs included five random variables: the organic carbon normalized soil adsorption coefficient, root zone degradation, application rate, depth to ground water, and ground water recharge age. Transport was simulated in two phases: initial transport through the root zone using the mechanistic model LEACHM, and a second empirically-based phase that simulated transport from the bottom of the root zone to the water table, and ultimately to domestic water wells. Best-fit calibration estimates for combined deep vadose/shallow ground water degradation half-lives were 330 d and 455 d for simazine and diuron, respectively. Simulations based on these fitted half-lives yielded coefficients of determination and root mean square errors of 0.973 and 0.993, and 0.367 and 0.364 for observed vs predicted simazine and diuron concentration percentiles, respectively. The calibrated model output also described the observed relationships of decreasing detection frequency and decreasing concentration with increasing depth to ground water. A novel contribution is the calculation of regional mass budgets for the herbicides. In modeling results, 9–54% and 2–16% (10th–90th percentiles) of applied simazine and diuron, respectively, leached out of the 1.5 m root zone, while the upper 10th percentile of well water concentrations corresponded to approximately 1–2% of application for both pesticides.     

Mobility of Organic and Inorganic Zinc Fertilizers in Soils

Abstract

Zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄ · H₂O) has traditionally been the “reliable” source of zinc (Zn) fertilizer, but other sources of Zn are also available. Some are derived from industrial by‐products, varying from flue dust reacted with sulfuric acid to organic compounds derived from the paper industry. The degree of Zn mobility in Zn sources derived from these various by‐products is related to the manufacturing process, the source of complexing or chelating agents (organic sources), and the original product used as the Zn source. Many claims are made regarding the relative efficiency of traditional inorganic Zn fertilizers and complexed Zn sources. The objective of this column study was to compare the mobility of several commercial Zn fertilizer materials (organic and inorganic) that are commonly used to correct Zn deficiencies in soils. The sources included three granular inorganic Zn sources, two granular organically complexed Zn sources, and liquid ZnEDTA. Soil columns were leached five times with deionized water. Leaching events were separated by approximately 48 h. At the conclusion of the leaching phase, columns were analyzed for plant‐available Zn. Water solubility was the primary factor affecting Zn movement, not total Zn content or organic complexation of the fertilizers. The Zn sources evaluated can be separated into three groups: ZnEDTA, ZnLigno, and ZnSO₄ were the most mobile Zn sources; the ZnOx55 was less mobile, but seemed mobile enough to meet crop needs; ZnOx26 and ZnSuc were relatively immobile Zn sources.     

Chemistry of Lowland Rice Soils and Nutrient Availability

Rice is the staple food crop for about 50% of the world's population. It is grown mainly under two ecosystems, known as upland and lowland. Lowland rice contributes about 76% of the global rice production. The anaerobic soil environment created by flood irrigation of lowland rice brings several chemical changes in the rice rhizosphere that may influence growth and development and consequently yield. The main changes that occur in flooded or waterlogged rice soils are decreases in oxidation–reduction or redox potential and increases in iron (Fe²⁺) and manganese (Mn²⁺) concentrations because of the reductions of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ to Mn²⁺. The pH of acidic soils increased and alkaline soils decreased because of flooding. Other results are the reduction of nitrate (NO₃ ^?) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂ ^?) to dinitrogen (N₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O); reduction of sulfate (SO₄ ^2?) to sulfide (S^2?); reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to methane (CH₄); improvement in the concentration and availability of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), Fe, Mn, molybdenum (Mo), and silicon (Si); and decrease in concentration and availability of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and sulfur (S). Uptake of nitrogen (N) may increase if properly managed or applied in the reduced soil layer. The chemical changes occur because of physical reactions between the soil and water and also because of biological activities of anaerobic microorganisms. The magnitude of these chemical changes is determined by soil type, soil organic-matter content, soil fertility, cultivars, and microbial activities. The exclusion of oxygen (O₂) from the flooded soils is accompanied by an increase of other gases (CO₂, CH₄, and H₂), produced largely through processes of microbial respiration. The knowledge of the chemistry of lowland rice soils is important for fertility management and maximizing rice yield. This review discusses physical, biological, and chemical changes in flooded or lowland rice soils.     

虱螨脲在土壤中的降解、吸附和移动特性

采用室内模拟试验方法,研究了虱螨脲在3种土壤中的降解、吸附和移动特性。结果表明：25℃下,虱螨脲在江西红壤中的降解半衰期为101d,属于中等降解农药;在太湖水稻土和东北黑土中的降解半衰期分别为74.5d和55.5d,属于较易降解农药。土壤有机质含量是影响虱螨脲降解速率的主要因素;3种土壤对虱螨脲具有较强的吸附性,且土壤有机质含量越高,对虱螨脲的吸附性越强;3种土壤对虱螨脲的吸附自由能变化均小于40kJ·mol^-1,属于物理吸附;虱螨脲在土壤中不易移动,正常条件下不会造成地下水的污染。     

A Comparative Study of Different Amendments on Amelioration of Saline-Sodic Soils Irrigated with Water Having Different EC: SAR Ratios

Soil degradation affects soil properties such as structure, water retention, porosity, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and soil flora and fauna. This study was conducted to evaluate the response of contrasting textured soils irrigated with water having different EC:SAR ratios along with amendments: gypsum (G), farm manure (FM), and mulch (M). Water of different qualities viz. EC 0.6 + SAR 6, EC 1.0 + SAR 12, EC 2.0 + SAR 18, and EC 4.0 + SAR 30 was used in different textured soils with G at 100% soil gypsum requirement, FM at 10 Mg ha^?1, and M as wheat straw was added on surface soil at 10 Mg ha^?1. Results revealed that the applied amendments in soils significantly decreased pH_s and electrical conductivity (EC_e) of saturated paste and SAR. Four pore volumes of applied water with leaching fraction 0.75, 0.77, and 0.78 removed salts 3008, 4965, and 5048 kg ha^?1 in loamy sand, silty clay loam, and sandy clay loam soils, respectively. First four irrigations with LF of 0.82, 0.79, 0.75, and 0.71, removed 5682, 5000, 3967, and 2941 kg ha^?1 salts, respectively. The decreasing order for salt removal with amendments was FM > G > M > C with LF = 0.85, 0.84, 0.71, and 0.68, respectively. This study highlights a potential role of soil textures to initiate any mega program for reclamation of saline-sodic soils in the perspective of national development strategies.     

Heavy Metal Contamination in Peach Trees Irrigated with Water from a Heavily Polluted Creek

This study was conducted to characterize the heavy metal contamination in the soils of peach orchards irrigated with water from Nilüfer creek, which is heavily polluted by industrial and municipal wastes. Twenty-one peach orchards with 3 different cultivars in 7 orchards each located along Nilüfer creek were monitored in the experiment. To determine levels of pollution, soils and aboveground parts of the trees were sampled and analyzed for iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd). Total amounts of Ni and Cr were found to be at the excessive levels in soils. Extractable Ni concentration decreased with increasing pH and CaCO₃ content in soils. Leaf metal contents were generally at tolerable levels, but Ni and Pb accumulated to toxic levels in different parts of the fruit (flesh and peel). Except for Fe and Ni, plant concentrations of the metals did not correlate with their total and DTPA-extractable concentrations in the soils. There was no significant difference among the cultivars in accumulation of heavy metals.     

Assessment of Provisioning Ecosystem Services of Irrigated Salt-Affected Soils in Ukraine

Eurasian Soil Science - Irrigated, withdrawn from irrigation, and nonirrigated areas with southern chernozems (Calcic Chernozems) and dark chestnut soils (Haplic Kastanozems) of different degrees...     

Prolonged Testing of Metal Mobility in Mining-Impacted Soils Amended with Phosphate Fertilisers

The aim of the study was to determine whether the application of superphosphate fertiliser to soils contaminated with mine wastes can inhibit metal and metalloid mobility (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Fe, Mn, As, Sb) in the long term. Contaminated soils contained sulfide- and sulfate-rich waste materials from the Broken Hill and Mt Isa mining centres. Results of long-term (10 months) column experiments demonstrate that fertiliser amendment had highly variable effects on the degree of metal and metalloid mobilisation and capture. Rapid release of metals from a sulfate-rich soil showed that phosphate amendment was ineffective in stabilising highly soluble metal-bearing phases. In a sulfide-rich soil with abundant organic matter, complexing of metals with soluble organic acids led to pronounced metal (mainly Cd, Cu and Zn) release from fertiliser-amended soils. The abundance of pyrite, as well as the addition of fertiliser, caused persistent acid production over time, which prevented the formation of insoluble metal phosphate phases and instead fostered an increased mobility of both metals and metalloids (As, Cd, Cu, Sb, Zn). By contrast, fertiliser application to a sulfide-rich soil with low organic carbon content and a sufficient acid buffering capacity to maintain near-neutral pH resulted in the immobilisation of Pb in the form of newly precipitated Pb phosphate phases. Thus, phosphate stabilisation was ineffective in suppressing metal and metalloid mobility from soils that were rich in organic matter, contained abundant pyrite and had a low acid buffering capacity. Phosphate stabilisation appears to be more effective for the in situ treatment of sulfide-rich soils that are distinctly enriched in Pb and contain insignificant concentrations of organic matter and other metals and metalloids.     

Comparison of Partitioning and Efficacy Between Copper Algaecide Formulations: Refining the Critical Burden Concept

Filamentous mat-forming algae are increasingly impairing freshwater resources. To restore water utility, reactive management programs often involve application of copper-based algaecides. Copper algaecide formulations can differ significantly, and this research outlined an advanced approach to evaluate formulation efficiency for controlling filamentous algae. Two common algal species (Lyngbya wollei, Pithophora varia) were used to assess copper internalization and adsorption as well as relation to control among copper formulations. Captain® XTR achieved control (7-day EC₈₅) of L. wollei with internal copper concentrations of 0.78 and 0.76 mg Cu/g based on chlorophyll a content or filament viability, respectively. Cutrine® Ultra achieved control of L. wollei based on filament viability only at 0.85 mg Cu/g. Internalized copper concentrations required for control following Captain XTR exposures were similar for P. varia, 0.81 and 0.95 mg Cu/g, whereas Cutrine Ultra and copper sulfate did not elicit control nor attain the critical internal copper threshold. The relationship between internalized copper and responses, among all formulations, was significant (P?<?0.0001) with R² values of 0.920 and 0.935 for L. wollei and 0.807 and 0.826 for P. varia based on filament viability and chlorophyll a content, respectively. Formulation efficiency, internalized copper versus total amended, was greatest with Captain XTR (average 0.17), followed by Cutrine Ultra (0.13), and copper sulfate (0.09). By measuring the efficiency of a specific algaecide and the corresponding amount required to achieve control of targeted algal biomass, management objectives can be achieved while decreasing environmental loads of copper, number of treatments, and operational costs.     

Cu and Ni Mobility and Bioavailability in Sequentially Conditioned Soils

The potential ecological hazard of metals in soils may be measured directly using a combination of chemical and biological techniques or estimated using appropriate ecological models. Terrestrial ecotoxicity testing has gained scientific credibility and growing regulatory interest; however, toxicity of metals has often been tested in freshly amended soils. Such an approach may lead to derivation of erroneous toxicity values (EC₅₀) and thresholds. In this study, the impact of metal amendments on soil ecotoxicity testing within a context of ion competition was investigated. Four coarse-textured soils were amended with copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni), incubated for 16 weeks and conditioned by a series of total pore water replacements. Rhizon^TM extracted pore water Cu, Ni, pH and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations were measured after each replacement. Changes in ecotoxicity of soil solutions were also monitored using a lux-based biosensor (Escherichia coli HB101 pUCD607) and linked to variations in soil solution metal and DOC concentrations, pH and selected characteristics of the experimental soils (exchangeable calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)). Prior to conditioning of soils, strong proton competition produced relatively high EC₅₀ values (low toxicity) for both, Cu and Ni. The successive replacement of pore waters lead to a decline of labile pools of metals, DOC and alleviated the ecotoxicological protective effect of amendment impacted soil solution chemistry. Consequently, derived ecotoxicity values and toxicity thresholds were more reflective of genuine environmental conditions and the relationships observed more consistent with trends reported in historically contaminated soils.     

Adsorption and Desorption of Copper in Pasture Soils

Abstract

Copper (Cu) is bound strongly to organic matter, oxides of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), and clay minerals in soils. To investigate the relative contribution of different soil components in the sorption of Cu, sorption was measured after the removal of various other soil components; organic matter and aluminum (Al) and Fe oxides are important in Cu adsorption. Both adsorption and desorption of Cu at various pH values were also measured by using diverse pasture soils. The differences in the sorption of Cu between the soils are attributed to the differences in the chemical characteristics of the soils. Copper sorption, as measured by the Freundlich equation sorption constants [potassium (K) and nitrogen (N)], was strongly correlated with soil properties, such as silt content, organic carbon, and soil pH. The relative importance of organic matter and oxides on Cu adsorption decreased and increased, respectively, with increasing solution Cu concentrations. In all soils, Cu sorption increased with increasing pH, but the solution Cu concentration decreased with increasing soil pH. The cumulative amounts of native and added soil Cu desorbed from two contrasting soils (Manawatu and Ngamoka) during desorption periods showed that the differences in the desorbability of Cu were a result of differences in the physico‐chemical properties of the soil matrix. This finding suggests that soil organic matter complexes of Cu added through fertilizer, resulted in decreased desorption. The proportions of added Cu desorbed during 10 desorption periods were low, ranging from 2.5% in the 24‐h to 6% in the 2‐h desorption periods. The desorption of Cu decreased with increasing soil pH. The irreversible retention of Cu might be the result of complex formation with Cu at high pH.