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Evaluation of effect of soil organic matter on pores by 1 H time‐domain magnetic resonance relaxometry and adsorption–desorption of N 2
Author(s) -
Benito P.,
Bortolotti V.,
Fornasari G.,
Vannini M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
european journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 1351-0754
DOI - 10.1111/ejss.12336
Subject(s) - relaxometry , desorption , adsorption , organic matter , porosity , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , environmental chemistry , mineralogy , soil science , environmental science , magnetic resonance imaging , organic chemistry , medicine , spin echo , radiology
Summary Stabilization of organic matter ( OM ) is an important topic in soil science, but it is not yet completely understood. Recent interest in the recovery of poor or damaged soil with the addition of OM from waste such as paper mill sludge has led to further research on this topic. Research on the association of OM with soil minerals is difficult; therefore, most of the experimental studies published have been carried out on natural (not treated) or artificial soil. In this paper, we describe the use of both 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry in the time domain ( TD‐MRR ) and N 2 adsorption–desorption techniques to characterize samples of soil taken from a hillside treated with paper mill sludge. We have shown that although both techniques are sensitive to different, but to some extent complementary, scales of pore sizes, they can highlight the clogging effect of OM on soil pores (in a range of pores sizes from a few nm to several µm). The relations with total organic carbon were similar for the bound water porosity evaluated by TD‐MRR and the specific surface area determined by N 2 adsorption–desorption. This new approach that uses both TD‐MRR and N 2 adsorption–desorption also suggests that OM is well protected in small pores (≤ 2 µm), especially when there is preferential association with minerals, for example with kaolin clay and carbonates. Highlights Characterization of the porosity of soil sampled from a hillside treated with organic waste. The combined use of 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry and N 2 adsorption‐desorption techniques. There is a clogging effect of organic matter on soil pores from a few nm to several µm. Both techniques can be used to add information on potential TOC stabilization.