The fundamental problem of ion binding to natural soil colloids requires multidisciplinary research that raises special challenges. These come mainly from the heterogeneous and sometimes ill-defined nature of natural colloids, especially humic substances. This book presents the latest advances in this active research field. The first part reviews the fundamentals of colloid science, the second covers soil composition and the characteristics and properties of main soil components, and the third provides in-depth coverage of ion binding to soil colloids, including recent advances.

Fernando V. Molina, Ph.D., is a principal researcher at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of Materials, Environment and Energy and an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. His research interests include soil chemistry, specifically soil pollution, pollutant detection, and phytoremediation, as well as conducting polymers, their physicochemical properties, and materials based on these. He obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires in 1985.

Part I: Foundations. Introduction. Colloidal Particles and Colloidal Suspensions. Electrified Interface. Sorption onto Colloidal Particles. Surface Charge of Colloidal Particles. Interparticle Interactions and Colloid Stability. Part II: Soil Components. Soil Composition and Characterization. Silicate-Based Minerals. Oxide Minerals. Humic Substances. Part III: Ion Binding to Soil Colloids. Modeling Ion Binding: General Concepts. Ion Binding to Minerals: Discrete Site Modeling. Ion Binding to Humic Substances: Distributed Site Modeling. Ion Binding to Soils. Index.