EN
Surface free energy and contact angle for peat-moorsh soils were determined on soil samples consisted of two kinds of moorsh formations, i.e., peaty moorsh (Z1) and proper moorsh (Z3). The samples represented peat soil mass in different state of its secondary transformation, so they essentially differed in values of W1 index. In study a thin-layer (TLW) technique based on Wash- burns equation was used. For this purpose the penetration rate of n-alkanes and diodomethane were measured. If the content of humous compounds in the soil exceeds 40%, wetting rate measurements can only be performed using apolar liquids, such as diiodomethane and alkanes. Polar liquids, on the other hand, such as water or formamide, do not penetrate porous soil layers. This shows that the tested material displays only dispersion-type surface interactions. Therefore, for "mor" and peat soils, the technique of thin-layer wicking with n-octane could only be used to determine the dispersive component . The investigated peat soil no exhibit a polar interactions because the water does not penetrate into yiLW the sample. For the peaty-moorsh soils only dispersive surface free energy components can be determined by the technique of thin-column wicking (TCW). Contact angles can be calculated from the determined dispersive surface free energy components and water surface tension by Young equation. Ranges of water contact angles for peat-moorsh soils are 97.5°<9 <102.0°.