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Zinc sorption by acid tropical soils as affected by cultivation
Author(s) -
GUADALIX M.E.,
PARDO M.T.
Publication year - 1995
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/j.1365-2389.1995.tb01838.x
Subject(s) - sorption , soil water , loam , chemistry , organic matter , cation exchange capacity , environmental chemistry , point of zero charge , soil organic matter , soil ph , adsorption , soil science , environmental science , organic chemistry
Summary The sorption of zinc (Zn) by two acid tropical soils, Mazowe clay loam (kaolinitic, coarse, Rhodic Kandiustalf) and Bulawayo clay loam (coarse, kaolinitic, Lithic Rodustalf), was studied over a wide range of Zn solution concentrations. Samples of the two soils used in the experiments were collected at both uncleared, uncultivated (virgin) sites and cultivated sites. The two virgin soils showed similar abilities to bind Zn. Mazowe soil (40 g organic matter kg −1 ) presented the highest affinity for Zn. Yet, Bulawayo soil (23.5 g organic matter kg −1 ) sorbed almost the same amount. Bulawayo soil had higher pH and Fe and Mn‐oxide content than Mazowe soil. Once cultivated, the two soils behaved quite differently. After 50 years, Mazowe soil had lost 60% of its organic matter and effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC). In this soil, Zn sorption capacity had also been decreased by 60%. Clearing and 10 years under cultivation had affected neither the organic matter content nor the ECEC of Bulawayo soil. For this soil, Zn sorption was even higher in the cultivated soil, presumably due to an increase in the amount of Fe and Mn oxide from subsoiling. Zinc sorption was dependent upon pH, with retention dramatically increasing in the pH range 6–7. Sorption occurred at pH values below the point of zero charge (PZC), indicating that the sorption reaction can proceed even in the presence of electrostatic repulsion between the positively charged soil surface and the cation. In the two soils, the reversibility of the sorption reaction was very low. More than 90% of the sorbed Zn was apparently strongly bonded.