Soil analysis as a tool to predict effects on the environment

An often used procedure to tackle the problem of soil analysis is the treatment of soils with different extractants. In the present paper this approach is critically reviewed whereby mainly examples of heavy metals are shown. For environmental studies the total content is important for considerations about limitations of pollutants in soil, the mobilizable fraction may be of interest in judging an increasing mobility due to changing soil properties. The mobile fraction is normally used to estimate immediate effects on plants and microorganisms as well as the migration of metals whithin soil profiles. Environmentally relevant examples of such metal fractions are given including results of speciation in soil solution (bioavailability, identification of toxic metal forms) and heavy metal interactions.