However, path analysis revealed three additional relationships not found by correlation analysis. They included direct effects of CEC on Ni adsorption (0.72*), OC on Pb adsorption (0.35*) by Galva soils, and OC on Cd adsorption (0.59*) by Webster soils. Partitioning of OC direct and indirect effects suggested that adsorption of Pb and Cd by soil organic matter through complexation reactions was more important than adsorption by organic matter CEC sites.