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Stratigraphic Approach to Alteration in Mineral Soils: The Heavy Metal Example
Author(s) -
Kleber Arno,
Mailänder Reiner,
Zech Wolfgang
Publication year - 1998
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/sssaj1998.03615995006200060023x
Subject(s) - sedimentary depositional environment , pedogenesis , geology , soil water , geochemistry , soil cover , erosion , mineral , mineralogy , soil science , earth science , geomorphology , chemistry , structural basin , organic chemistry
Quantifying post‐depositional alteration of mineral soil material is complicated by the fact that many soils consist of layered parent materials with varying indigenous composition. Part of our study site in the Steigerwald Mountains of northern Bavaria was cultivated during the Middle Ages and later reforested. Soil erosion removed the upper materials, exposing a deposit to contamination from the surface, whereas nearby, the deposit remained protected by overlying layers. We compared heavy metal concentrations within that deposit across this boundary of varying protection. No significant results were obtained for Cd; however, the concentrations of Pb and Cu increase by about 100% or more where the protecting cover thins. The Pb and Cu values provide a measure of the gross post‐depositional alteration of that deposit. We expect this procedure can help quantify various pedogenic alterations by comparison with essentially the same, unaltered parent material.