Retention and transport behavior of thallium(I) in soils with different physicochemical properties
Journal
Environmental Technology and Innovation
Journal Volume
41
Start Page
104853
ISSN
2352-1864
Date Issued
2026-03
Author(s)
Abstract
Thallium (Tl) is a highly toxic metal, and elevated concentrations in the environment have raised serious environmental and human health concerns. In this study, column leaching experiments coupled with the Convection-Dispersion Transport Fitting (CXTFIT) model and statistical analyses were used to investigate the mobility and retention of Tl(I) in diverse soil systems. Correlation analysis revealed that Tl(I) retention by soils was predominantly governed by soil pH, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable cations (K+, Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+), and free manganese oxides, which are reflected in the retardation factor ( R f ). The forward-selection multiple linear regression model identified the key soil properties that collectively explained approximately 77% of the variance in Tl(I) mobility. Desorption experiments showed that K⁺ was the most effective competing cation for Tl(I) remobilization, achieving up to 93.0% desorption in specific soils. However, in soils with higher R f values, Tl(I) desorption by K⁺ was relatively limited (73.5%), suggesting potential persistence. Conversely, soils with lower R f values may release Tl(I) more readily when exposed to the solutions of K+ or other cations, such as fertilizer application, thereby increasing the environmental risk. Overall, this study elucidates the physicochemical controls on Tl(I) transport and retention in soils, providing a quantitative framework for risk assessment and the design of soil-specific remediation strategies for soil Tl contamination.
Subjects
Competitive desorption
CXTFIT model
Multiple linear regression
Soil contamination
Thallium transport
Transport modeling
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Description
Article number 104853
Type
journal article