Effects of DNA polymer length on its adsorption to soils

Three different DNA fragments ranging size from 2.69 kbp (1.75 MDa) to 23 kbp (14.95 MDa) were used as tracers to study the adsorption of polydisperse solutions of calf thymus DNA to eight model soils. The adsorption of the three tracers to all soils was described by the Freundlich adsorption model, with adsorption coefficients (K) ranging from 1.1 for acid-washed sand to over 300 for one soil. An inverse relationship between tracer size and K was observed with six of the eight soils, indicating that smaller fragments are sorbed preferentially versus larger fragments in these soils. No significant correlation between K and the organic carbon contents, clay contents, pHs, or cation exchange capacities of the model soils was observed.