s such, the
pool of SOM is regarded as being highly heterogeneous
in terms of sorption capacity and strength , with impacts
on bioaccumulation and bioavailability as well
as biodegradability of organic pollutants. SOM also
largely contributes to the various processes related to
the ageing of HOC, which is adjoined by an increase
in sorption to the soil matrix and a decrease in the
rate and extent of biodegradation . The manifold
implications of these interactions on the environmental
behavior of organic contaminants have recently
been extensively reviewed. By contrast, the impact
of mineral surfaces on HOC sorption, availability and
degradability is not thoroughly characterized, with
organic carbon components removed in various microscale
studies yielding contradictory results.