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Trace Metal Geochemistry in Spodosols of the Northeastern United States
Author(s) -
Jersak Joseph,
Amundson Ronald,
Brimhall George
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1997.00472425002600020024x
Subject(s) - podzol , pedogenesis , weathering , leaching (pedology) , trace metal , lessivage , soil water , soil horizon , environmental chemistry , metal , geology , mineralogy , chemistry , soil science , geochemistry , organic chemistry
Long‐term or postglacial (≈ 12 000‐year) net fluxes of Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, and Co through three Spodosols, formed from different parent materials, were calculated using mass‐balance modeling. Metal contents in vegetation and O horizons were also estimated and measured, respectively. Total metal contents in mineral horizons were fractionated into different operationally defined pedogenic phases using a sequential extraction technique. With few exceptions, the three soils had significant leaching losses for all trace metals (from 7–508 kg ha −1 ), the greatest losses generally occurring in the E and upper horizons. The magnitude of losses by leaching varied with parent material, as a result of differences in weatherabilities of mineral suites. Combined metal contents in vegetation and O horizons, which may originate from anthropogenic additions as well as mineral weathering, are significantly large in some cases; however, these metal amounts are apparently not large enough to offset long‐term leaching losses from the underlying mineral soil profiles. Some B and C horizons had net accumulations of extractable Pb, Cu, and/or Ni‐bearing phases. Based on the sequential extraction procedure used, the extractable metal forms are probably pedogenic Fe oxide‐ and/or organic‐bound phases. One soil apparently gained Cu (≈38 kg ha −1 ), which may have been from atmospheric deposition.