Abstract
Summary: Soil properties were significantly related to the adsorption of aniline and p‐chloroaniline, greater adsorption always occurring with p‐chloroaniline. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the organic matter plus available water (or clay) was better than the simple linear relationship, with organic matter alone. The resulting equations accounted for most of the variability in aniline or p‐chloroaniline adsorbed (R2= 0·92 and 0·94, respectively). The contribution of organic matter to the adsorption was calculated as 79 and 77 per cent for aniline and p‐chloroaniline.Experimental data on partially oxidized soils emphasized the major role played by soil organic matter. The variability in adsorption was mainly due to the organic matter left after oxidation (R2= 0·72 and 0·64 for aniline and p‐chloroaniline). No other combinations of variables significantly improved these relationships.