Ammonium adsorption and desorption properties by purple soils with dif- ferent pH were studied. The results showed that the adsorption and desorption amounts of NH4＋ by purple soils increased with the increase of NH4＋ concentration, regardless of soil pH values; the largest adsorption and desorption amounts of NH4＋ by purple soil at pH 6.0 were 10.3 and 7.96 mg/g, respectively; the largest adsorp- tion and desorption amounts of NH4＋ by purple soil at pH 7.2 were 12.8 and 4.62 mg/g, respectively; the largest adsorption and desorption amounts of NH4＋ by purple soil at pH 8.0 were 13.5 and 2.23 mg/g, respectively. The isothermal adsorption ki- netics of NH4＋ by purple soils fits the Freundlich equation best （R〉0.95）. This study shows that the adsorption of NH4＋ by purple soils with different pH values is multi- molecular layer uneven surface adsorption.
