This study aimed to determine the climatic factors influencing metal solubilization in the percolation waters from a field that had received intensive pig slurry applications. We first set up a D-optimal experimental design specially fitted to this study. The experimental design allowed to take into account some specific conditions in relation with the experimental domain under study. On the one hand, these conditions consisted of constraints corresponding to parts of the domain which cannot be studied, and on the other hand, of difficulties in achieving some levels of factors. Carrying out in vitro experiments enabled to evidence that temperature and volume of rainfalls were the most important factors acting on metal solubilization. © EDP Sciences, Wiley-VCH.