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Cation Removal during Application of Acid Solutions into Air‐Dry Soil Columns
Author(s) -
Liu K. H.,
Mansell R. S.,
Rhue R. D.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1990.03615995005400060040x
Subject(s) - subsoil , topsoil , chemistry , cation exchange capacity , leaching (pedology) , effluent , infiltration (hvac) , environmental chemistry , ion exchange , soil ph , sulfuric acid , soil water , inorganic chemistry , soil science , ion , environmental science , environmental engineering , materials science , organic chemistry , composite material
Acidic deposition is considered an environmental problem that may be modifying the forest soil, and that affects the forest soil's cation‐exchange status. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether cation removal from laboratory columns of Cecil soil (a clayey, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludult) would be proportional to the proton concentration of the acidic input solution. A second purpose was to find the effective‐charge balance of major cations in the soil columns after termination of acid infiltration. Aqueous HCl solutions of pH 3.9 and 4.9 were applied with constant flux to columns of initially air‐dry topsoil and subsoil until approximately 30 pore volumes of effluent had been collected. Larger quantities of cations were leached by the pH 3.9 solution. The ratio of cations removed in the two cases was considerably less (<2‐fold) than the 10‐fold H ion ratio of the two input acid solutions. The effective‐charge balance error of major cations was greatest for the high‐pH solution. Differences in effective‐charge balance of major cations were greater for columns of subsoil than for topsoil. Application of acid (HCl) solutions definitely accelerated leaching losses of cations from the forest Cecil soil.