The sorptive affinity of copper and zinc to suspended river sediments was investigated as a function of pH and adsorbent solids concentration. Water samples from the Flint River in Michigan were centrifuged to yield a composite sediment concentrate used as an adsorbent in experiments determining pH adsorption edges and conditional adsorption isotherms. Copper and zinc exhibited sharp pH adsorption edges at pH values of approximately 4 to 5.5 and 6 to 7, respectively. Both metals exhibited fractional adsorption decreases as total metal in the system increased. Adsorbent concentration increases were shown to cause decreases in measured copper partition coefficients. The indirect relationship between adsorbent concentration and partition coefficient was observed whether the adsorbent was concentrated or diluted without altering bulk solution chemistry. A mathematical formulation that incorporated both the adsorbent mass effects and the separation of sorbed metal into reversible and resistant components satisfactorily described the observations. (Copyright (c) 1986 SETAC.)